Rapper's Murder Echoes Words in His Music

[TexasStooge]

NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) - The murder of rapper Soulja Slim echoed the violence of his profanity-laced songs, which told of gangs, drugs and drive-by shootings.

The artist, whose real name was James Tapp, was shot Wednesday night on the front lawn of the two-story duplex he'd bought for his mother in New Orleans' Gentilly neighborhood.

To some, the 25-year-old was poised to capture the rap scene, to get a music video on MTV and maybe make it bigger than his childhood friends, rappers Master P and C-Murder.

His stepfather, who asked that his name not be used, said envy of Tapp's swift rise may have motivated the killing.

The rapper was shot at least three times in the face and once in the chest. Witnesses said they saw a man in dark clothing fleeing afterward. Police had no suspects in custody on Friday.

Tapp's stepfather said the performer's dark themes weren't meant to incite violence, but rather to expose the chaos of "ghetto life" so it might be cured. He said Tapp broke no laws after ending a four-year prison stint in 2001 for a parole violation. Tapp had been convicted of armed robbery in 1995.

Master P, New Orleans' most famous rapper, appeared on several tracks of Tapp's first album, "Give It 2 'Em Raw." Tapp's second album, "The Streets Made Me," was released by Master P's No Limit Records. Tapp left No Limit in 2002 and released "Years Later" on his own Cut Throat Committy label.

[stormraiser]

You reap what you sow. Always have always will

[blizzard]

Tapp's stepfather said the performer's dark themes weren't meant to incite violence, but rather to expose the chaos of "ghetto life" so it might be cured.

Whatever