If you grew up on late-’90s and early-2000s Southern rap, Soulja Slim’s name still hits different. The New Orleans rapper, born James Adarryl Tapp Jr., helped shape an entire era of music before his life ended in 2003.
Slim was born in New Orleans and grew up in the Magnolia Projects, one of the city’s most well-known housing developments. He dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. According to NOLA, he began selling drugs and struggled with heroin and cocaine addiction, experiences he later poured into his music. Slim stood as one of the pioneers of New Orleans hip-hop until his tragic death. Here is a look at what happened to the rapper.
Soulja Slim was killed a day before Thanksgiving.
On Nov. 26, 2003 — the day before Thanksgiving — Slim went to visit his mother in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans, according to Billboard. A gunman approached him outside the home and shot him multiple times in the face and chest on the front lawn. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. He was 26.
New Orleans police moved quickly in the days that followed. On Dec. 31, 2003, officers arrested Garelle Smith, then 22, and booked him on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with Slim’s killing, according to Billboard. Officers found a stolen police pistol in Smith’s possession. Ballistics testing matched the gun to the bullets that killed Slim. Detectives also told reporters they believed the murder was a paid hit and alleged that Smith received about $10,000 to carry out the shooting…