Shawty Lo died on Sept. 20 after being involved in a one-car accident in Atlanta, Georgia. The rapper released hits such as “I’m da Man 2,” “Let’s Get It,” and “Dunn, Dunn.”
Here are seven things you should know about the life and times of Shawty Lo
Hard times in Bowen Homes
Shawty Lo was raised by his grandmother in the Bowen Homes projects in Atlanta after his mother battled with drug addiction. He found himself on his own at the age of 17 when his grandmother died. He soon ventured into the street life and committed crimes such as robbery and drug trafficking. He didn’t think that he would live to see 21.
Prison Life
Shawty Lo was arrested 28 times before he started a career in rap. He was convicted four times and once faced 40 years in prison. His longest jail stint occurred in 1994 when he served one year.
The D4L Era
He started D4L in 2003 with group members Fabo, Mook-B, and Stoney. The group ushered in the Snap music era with their hits “Laffy Taffy,” and “Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me.” The group’s debut album went Gold before Shawty Lo later embarked on a solo career.
Beef With T.I.
Shawty Lo was involved in a beef with T.I. in 2007. The beef started after Shawty Lo initially asked T.I. to rap a verse on the song, “Let’s Get It.” Shawty Lo believes that T.I. dissed him on “Big Sh— Poppin’” with the lyric, “See I said I’m a king and them lames started laughing, Same sucker now want the king on the track with him.” Shawty Lo responded with “Dunn Dunn” where he claimed T.I. was not originally from the Bankhead neighborhood. The two eventually squashed their beef at Club Crucial in Atlanta in 2009.
Baby Mothers, Kids and Reality TV
Shawty Lo was the father of 11 children by 10 different women, one of whom preceded him in death. He pitched a reality TV show that would have followed how he balanced fatherhood and his music career. The show, “All My Babies’ Mamas,” was eventually set to premiere on the Oxygen Network in 2013, but it was cancelled after backlash on social media.
Signing with 50 Cent
Shawty Lo signed to 50 Cent’s G-Unit in 2011. He originally signed a 50-50 deal with 50 Cent as a subsidiary for the D4L label. However, he never released an album under G-Unit and eventually signed a deal with Grown Money Entertainment.
Advocate for Diabetes
Shawty Lo was hospitalized in 2011 due to complications with diabetes. He eventually became an advocate for diabetes awareness and often participated in the “Walk to Fight Diabetes” and made donations to the American Diabetes Association.
