May 7th 2009, Aubrey Berry was at an Atlanta strip club known as Platinum 21. While there, he would notice an acquaintance of him from Clark Atlanta University and approached to speak with her.
https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (0:05-0:11)
https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (0:33-0:45)
https://youtu.be/eubKEX4lasg (0:28-1:03)
https://youtu.be/eubKEX4lasg (1:28-2:00)
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (0:29-0:52)
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (1:16-1:24)
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (1:50-2:11)
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (2:23-2:31)
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (2:52-3:11)
https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (1:00-1:15)
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While there, he would notice an acquaintance of him from Clark Atlanta University and approached to speak with her.
What Berry was unaware of was that his friend was in a relationship with a rapper by the name of Roderick Anthony Burton II aka Dolla
According to Berry, on that night at the club while he was speaking with his college friend, Dolla noticed, and him, along with his entourage made the assumption Berry was getting personal with his girlfriend and approached unbeknownst to Aubrey https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (0:28-1:02) According to Berry, he was attacked by one of Dolla’s affiliates while having a conversation with his female friend, after which he fell to the ground and received a beating by what he felt was about 5 persons https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (1:03-1:26)
https://homicide.latimes.com/post/roderick-burton/
https://allhiphop.com/news/mall-videotape-surfaces-in-dolla-shooting-bail-set-at-5-mil/
That altercation was the beginning of the end for Dolla and would lead to a strange set of events that placed his life in danger just 11 days later.
Dolla had a show in Texas. He would take a flight from Atlanta where he stayed to Texas to do his performance, after which he went on his way to Los Angeles, California and on May 18th 2009, he would make his way to Los Angeles, California with nothing but good intentions. It was his girlfriend’s birthday and Dolla planned something special to celebrate another year around the sun. Being in Atlanta for college, she was away from her family who were in Los Angeles, so Dolla thought it good to fly her out to Los Angeles for her birthday party, so they could be together, and she could be with her family and friends for her birthday https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (2:52-3:08)
A kind gesture, but one that would ultimately lead to his end. Dolla would arrive in Los Angeles and everything went smoothly, until it didn’t. May 17th, 2009 one of Dolla’s best friends Sadiq “DJ Shabbaz” Abawi,
His brother, William “Scrap” Robinson,
Te-Money associate Syria “Sy” Sylvers
And Dolla had all spent the night at Damian “T-Money” Jackson’s condo
and woke up the following morning on May 18th 2009 at about 10:00am. Everything went smooth with plans and it was time to get back at the airport and catch their flight back to Atlanta. At about 1:30pm they started their day and later on decided to get something to eat. Accompanied by his brother William Robinson aka Scrapp
The plan was to get something to eat at Chipotle but Dolla however, had this one favorite restaurant named PF Chang where he loved to dine at. After persuading the persons he was with, they gave in and decided to go to PF Chang in Beverly Center in Los Angeles before getting in the car and heading to the airport https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (4:12-4:54) https://youtu.be/cheW2RsKPnk (5:42-5:53)
It was around 2:53pm. Dolla, DJ Shabbaz, and Sylvers, were enjoying their meal. What happens next is where everything went downhill. In a strange case of coincidence, Aubrey Berry, the same guy that got into the altercation 11 days prior in Atlanta where he was beaten by Dolla and his entourage, was also at the establishment. Dolla would recognize him as Berry walked to the bathroom. Sy recalls at that point, Dolla would have a conversation with his brother Scrap about Berry, but not aware of what the conversation was about
Berry, on the way back from the bathroom, would also recognize Dolla at his table, but no words are spoken from either of the two. Instead, Berry continues walking and returns to his table. But, at the cluelessness of everyone else, Berry, has a concealed firearm. The time, 2:56pm
At his table is the reason why he was at PF Chang as well. Seated there was his business partner Ali Darwish who met with Berry to work on an after party to the BET awards https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (1:30-1:42)
Berry was also involved in the music industry in commercial marketing and has been seen in public with high profile artists like Ne-Yo
And with Los Angeles being one of the hubs for music, Berry also flew out there for business and that’s how he ended up at that particular establishment, as eerily strange at it may seem
Berry now back with his business associate would let him in on the altercation that happened in Atlanta with the said people he just spotted, but made one shocking revelation that immediately changed the mood of his business partner, Darwish. Berry would mention to him, the persons were affiliated with the Mansfield Crips. Being aware of the specified gang, Darwish advises him to leave because he does not want to get caught up in any gang conflict, so at about 3:04 p.m. Berry leaves the restaurant and proceeds to the valet area that is over 200 feet from the door https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (2:04-2:23) https://youtu.be/dR6m0nnGpGc (2:08-2:27) Multiple rumors have been surrounding this particular moment before Dolla was killed. One in particular states that Berry’s business partner, upon hearing he had an altercation with the Mansfield Crips, instructed Berry to take them out first before they do, as they had a reputation of having a lot of power in the city https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (5:40-5:47)
The Mansfield Crips aka the Mansfield Gangster Crips are labeled one of the most active gangs in the Westside district of Los Angeles and came up in the 1980’s.
Dolla faced many hardships as a child. He moved from his hometown of Chicago to Los Angeles where his father would commit suicide.
https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/rapper-dolla-struggled-for-hip-hop-success-268593/
Eventually he would be taken in by Mansfield Crip Damian Jackson aka Te Money who brought Dolla up as his artist and supported his career https://youtu.be/h83-6yaGb8I (0:30-0:44) https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (7:10-7:28)
Dolla, would adopt the gang lifestyle of the crips and became a Mansfield Crip himself https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (1:02-2:04)
The scene is now set for the events that would steal the life of a promising young artist. Berry is in the valet area. 3:05pm, approximately one minute after he leaves the restaurant, Dolla and his friends leave in the direction of Berry https://youtu.be/dR6m0nnGpGc (3:12-3:34) Surveillance video at the establishment shows Dolla acting peculiar, as if looking for someone while walking, that someone being Berry.
Whether an agreed decision to follow Berry, or just yet another coincidence they were leaving at the same time, the two were about to be involved in a tragic alteration.
Berry, now in the valet area waiting behind two customers, catches a glimpse on what he says was Dolla rolling up his sleeves coming towards his aggressively at rapid pace with DJ Shabbaz and his brother Scrap close behind while Sylvers is off further in the background https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (2:24-2:47) According to the recollection of Sylvers, Dolla and his two associates arrive before Berry about 7 to 10 feet, spread in a position that appears to have Berry surrounded
The two would get involved in an exchange of words where things would go south https://youtu.be/dR6m0nnGpGc (3:50-4:01)
At this moment, Berry recalls being scared for his life and saw what he believed was Dolla reaching behind his back for a weapon after threatening his life, so he drew his concealed firearm https://youtu.be/rLYU_oGZOLs (2:48-3:14)
3:10pm Berry squeezed the trigger shooting eight rounds, 4 of which went into Dolla, one through his biceps, another through his buttocks, and 2 through his back https://youtu.be/DwHJQg4DoI8 (0:13-0:22) Dolla begins to run after being shot, eventually collapsing about 200 feet away
The shots echoed throughout the surrounding area, inciting mass panic, leaving persons running for their lives https://youtu.be/eubKEX4lasg (1:28–2:00) https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (1:43-1:48)
One of the bullets inflicted a fatal wound, puncturing multiple organs, including his heart. At that point there was no saving the young rapper https://youtu.be/DwHJQg4DoI8 (2:08-3:13)
Dolla was rushed to the hospital, but there was little any medical surgeon could do. Dolla was pronounced dead around 3:38pm https://youtu.be/DwHJQg4DoI8 (3:23-3:32) Word of his passing spread like wildfire. Being signed to Akon’s Konvict Muzik label imprint, many had their eyes on the young talent becoming the next big thing in the music industry.
His songs like “Who The F Is That” featuring T-Pain https://youtu.be/BjWaCHnUTKQ
and “Make A Toast” https://youtu.be/KhUfsRhW-T4 were a few hits under his catalog.
The media was flooded with news stations reporting on the rapper’s passing
https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (0:05-0:11) https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (0:32-0:46) https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (0:00-0:08) https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (0:24-0:34) https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (0:53-1:04)
Berry fled the scene heading to the LAX airport where he was apprehended by police officers a few hours later as he was at the ticketing counter, with the firearm found on him
https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (2:01-2:15) https://youtu.be/eubKEX4lasg (0:45-1:01)
The process for justice and the truth would begin. Berry charged with murder would plead not guilty at an arraignment on May 22nd
https://homicide.latimes.com/post/roderick-burton/
His case was centered around his claim of self-defense. According to Berry, after his altercation with Dolla in Atlanta, he researched his background to find out about his gang ties and affiliations which instilled in him fear for his life when approached outside of PF Chang.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-22-la-me-0522-rapper-verdict-20100522-story.html
According to Te Money however, mutual friends of both sides had already came to an agreement over the Atlanta situation and dispelled any ill-will or bad feelings towards each other https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (4:56-5:07)
Berry’s legal team used his claim of being in fear for his life as the main drive of their case directing the jury to several videos intended to paint Dolla as a violent gang member. Video #1 showed Dolla talking about assaulting a person known as Two Pistols, where in the video he states he confronts “Two Pistols” and asks him, “What’s happening?” the same phrase that Dolla says to Berry when he confronts him at the valet area https://youtu.be/dR6m0nnGpGc (3:51-4:07) https://youtu.be/DStX7Af1-HE (0:00-0:34) https://youtu.be/DStX7Af1-HE (1:26-1:31)
Video #2 showed an interview of T.I. talking with Dolla and Te-Money
The video makes reference to gang affiliation, which is what the jury wanted to establish https://youtu.be/T6IpZHMgJZA (2:41-3:35)
The other videos were excerpts from Dolla’s catalog showing his relations to gangs and lyrics depicting a violent lifestyle the claimed he lived.
Such tracks presented were “Is You Holding” https://youtu.be/bwUSeP6-4yw (0:53-1:17)
And his hit with T-Pain “Who The F Is That” https://youtu.be/KamIMnS-sug (2:05-2:11)
Prosecutors pushed back, stating that Berry carried his firearm with intent to harm Dolla and acted upon a premeditated plan where he waited in the valet area for Dolla to leave and end his life https://youtu.be/hdwExerrgIU (5:15-5:25)
https://www.courant.com/sdut-trial-begins-in-killing-of-rapper-dolla-in-la-2010may04-story.html
They backed up this scenario with details that paint the crime scene, where Dolla was shot in the biceps first, then turned to run and flee from Berry, and that’s when Berry finished the job sending the bullets into his back https://youtu.be/DwHJQg4DoI8 (1:22-1:46) If it were in self-defense, then why would Dolla be the one running and being shot in the back? A great counter to the defense https://youtu.be/Jhl4a8ZVDUg (0:42-0:52) https://youtu.be/n_-tC13cD1A (4:21-5:04)
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-22-la-me-0522-rapper-verdict-20100522-story.html
It was up to the jury to decide whose story seemed more like what occurred https://youtu.be/DwHJQg4DoI8 (1:49-2:07) https://youtu.be/Jhl4a8ZVDUg (1:20-1:40)
May 21st 2010, the case was finally brought to a close, leaving Dolla’s mother in tears when Aubrey Berry was acquitted of all charges
https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (0:29-0:52) https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (1:16-1:24) https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (1:50-2:11) https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (2:23-2:31) https://youtu.be/HtB0fX58AM0 (2:52-3:11)
Dolla was destined for greatness in the music industry, but his life was unfortunately cut short in a tragic incident. Berry, I suspect will also have to live with this on his heart. Two lives ruined, and family and friends left in mourning https://youtu.be/zoUBP-fBf7c (1:00-1:15) https://youtu.be/tcVyAX8QAaI (2:27-2:36)
Rest In Peace Dolla https://www.facebook.com/profile/100063726812883/search/?q=Sy%20Sylvers https://youtu.be/AVsiroxwM4Y (3:15-4:10) https://youtu.be/WgJnwJHwhLs (3:52-4:10)
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
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