Soulja Slim

For the Canadian broadcaster, see Jimmy Tapp.

Soulja Slim
Soulja Slim in 2002.
Background information
Birth name	James A'Darryl Tapp, Jr.
Also known as	Magnolia Slim, Soldier Slim
Born	September 9, 1977
Origin	New Orleans, Louisiana
Died	November 26, 2003(2003-11-26) (aged 26)
Genres	Hardcore Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap, Horrorcore
Occupations	Rapper, Songwriter
Years active	1994–2003
Labels	No Limit, Cut Throat Committee, Koch Records
Associated acts	DJ Quik, UTP, Curren$y, J-Kwon, C-Murder, Snoop Dogg

James Tapp, Jr. (September 9, 1977 – November 26, 2003),^[1] better known by his stage name Soulja Slim, was an American rapper who achieved massive success on Master P's No Limit record label. He also achieved fame throughout New Orleans and Nation Wide from his work done with B.G., UNLV, and other local artists. He is known for writing the U.S. #1 hit "Slow Motion".^[2]

Life and music career

James Tapp was raised either in the Magnolia Projects or in the 3rd Ward of New Orleans. He attended Booker T. Washington High School before dropping out of school his sophomore year. Tapp released his debut album, Soulja fa Lyfe, on Parkway Pumpin' Records in 1994 under the name Magnolia Slim. In 1995, he released the four-song e.p. The Dark Side on Hype Enough Records. In the same year, the song "You Got It" appeared on 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 on No Limit Records with his single and video "From What I Was Told." Soulja Slim was convicted of armed robbery and incarcerated.^[1] 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 Committee 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 #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Soulja Slim and Juvenile's first #1 hit, and as the song was released after Soulja Slim's death he became only the sixth artist to have a posthumous #1 hit.

Shooting and death

On Thanksgiving Eve, November 26, 2003, Slim was en-route to a performance when an unknown gunman shot him four times; three times in the face, and once in the chest, in front of his mother's home in the Gentilly.^[3] Soulja Slim was buried with his Cutthroat Committee charm and jewelry and also the leather camo clothes he's shown wearing 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 but was released months later. In August 2011, reports emerged that Smith had himself been found dead with gunshot wounds to the face and chest.^[4]

Discography

• 1998: Give It 2 'Em Raw
• 2001: The Streets Made Me
• 2002: Years Later
• 2003: Years Later...A Few Months After
• 2005: Greatest Hitz

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ankeny, Jason (2008). "Soulja Slim: Biography". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p294170/biography. Retrieved December 23, 2009. 
2. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/1hit-wonders.shtml
3. ^ dems the breaks VIOLENCE THRIVES ON LACK OF JOBS, WEALTH OF DRUGS." The Times-Picayune.
4. ^ Man Accused Of Killing Soulja Slim Gunned Down In New Orleans." AllHipHop.

External links

	New Orleans portal
	Biography portal
	Hip hop portal

• Soulja Slim on Myspace

Persondata
Name	Slim, Soulja
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	September 9, 1977
Place of birth	New Orleans
Date of death	November 26, 2003
Place of death	Gahanna, Ohio