Soulja Slim

Early life

James A'Darryl Tapp Jr. was born on September 9, 1977 to James and Linda Tapp. He was raised in the Magnolia Projects and attended Cohen Senior High School before dropping out of school in the 11th grade. He began selling drugs, as well as forming an addiction to heroin and cocaine. By 1993, he was rapping as "Magnolia Slim" in venues and block parties in the projects. His first recordings, however, would be on Parkway Pumpin', an independent label run by legendary producer KLC and also featuring 39 Posse, Fiend, Lil Mac, Mystikal Mike (later Mystikal), Mr. Serv-On and Da Hound. Soulja Slim's solo debut was Soulja Fa Lyfe was released in 1994 by Parkway Pumpin' and Hype Enough Records. The album did well, selling 90,000 units independently. In 1995, he released the four-song EP The Dark Side by Hype Enough Records.

No Limit Records and Slow Motion (1997–2003)

In the same year, the song "You Got It" appeared on a No Limit Records double-CD compilation Down South Hustlers: Bouncin' and Swingin' . In 1998, Tapp, now calling himself Soulja Slim, released Give It 2 'Em Raw by No Limit Records with his single and his music video "From What I Was Told" and a single called "Street Life". The album debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and sold 82,000 in the first week. At that time, Soulja Slim was convicted of armed robbery and incarcerated. He reappeared three years later with Streets Made Me, which was again released on the No Limit label. From there, he started his own label, Cut Throat Comitty Records and released Years Later in late 2002. In 2003, he released Years Later...A Few Months After, his last album before his death. The album featured the hit "I'll Pay for It". In 2003, he also collaborated with fellow New Orleans rapper Juvenile to make the song "Slow Motion". The song was released on Juvenile's album Juve the Great and reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Soulja Slim and Juvenile's first number one hit, and as the song was released after Soulja Slim's death he became only the sixth artist to have a posthumous number one song.

Shooting and death (November 2003)

On Thanksgiving Eve, November 26, 2003, an unknown gunman shot Slim four times; three times in the chest, and once in the face, in the front lawn of the home of his mother and stepfather, Phillip "Tuba Phil" Frazier of Rebirth Brass Band, located in the 4600 Lafaye St. in the Gentilly neighborhood. Soulja Slim was buried with his Cut Throat Comitty charm and jewelry and also the leather camo clothes he wore on the cover of Give It 2 'Em Raw. On New Year's Eve, December 31, 2003, police arrested 22-year-old Garelle Smith in connection with Tapp's murder. Police discovered a stolen police pistol in Smith's possession with a scratched-off serial number. A ballistics test matched bullets from that gun to the ones that killed Soulja Slim but no witnesses would testify against him. By 2008, Smith had been arrested for three more murders and in each case, charges were dropped and he was released due to lack of witnesses and the New Orleans 60-day law. Along with the other murders, the District Attorney's Office dropped the Soulja Slim murder charge against him and his death became a cold case. In August 2011, Smith himself was found dead with gunshot wounds to the face and chest.

Compilation