November 26th 2003, the city of New Orleans would be shaken by a disaster they never believed was possible. It was the day they would lose one of their very own, the legend and city Icon, James Tapp known globally by his alias Soulja Slim.
On the morning of November 26th 2003, Soulja Slim, as his mother recalled, was in an especially good mood. His music career was flourishing, he was taking over the airwaves, his name was reaching into the highest hierarchy of the music industry, it was his time to take over and bring a generation of wealth and opportunities to his family, friends, and community. That morning, Soulja Slim was in high spirits because he previously worked on a music video that was to be the song, the “it factor”, that would propel him into the big leagues and pave the way for the launch of his album, and he received a copy of the end result.
The particular music video in question was for his song “Love Me Love Me Not” https://youtu.be/YSi2UwMUzPQ https://youtu.be/8KTqhB-nuHQ (16:59-17:22)
The intention was to have a viewing of it with a group of his friends who often stayed with him in his upstairs apartment-music studio.
Before getting to that though, Soulja Slim had a couple errands to run. By that time the evening was drawing on. Soulja Slim left in his silver Cadillac Escalade which was known by his peers and his enemies. It had a signature look, upgraded to include a TV, digital CD player and his record label, Cut Throat logo engraved on all the seats.
Soulja Slim was unaware that assailants were marking his every move until it was the right time to put their plan to take his life into motion. At this time his family was preparing to come to the house for what was to be a great time with family and friends given it was Thanksgiving Eve. His sister Project Barbie
and his mother were approximately 6-7 minutes away from the house socializing among themselves for a bit before heading out https://youtu.be/8KTqhB-nuHQ (16:52-17:00) His then 8-year-old son Lil Soulja Slim
![The Source |Lil Soulja Slim drops video for C Murder assisted "Heard of Us" [Source Exclusive]](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/DOVKvkvlAw-oAdEou2IjCAQXvUnlsaxGPDpxN0EjZCQeap_a3jLqhmdJx5NDI0AYO_8Xvrq-0bBWNFrQ-Yava6d2fFEaskdmOMGzKCx6DIZXq6komnm_TYEtI5oQRxBDoZHBSuRjCRVrU6ivpJyt)
and his son’s mother was about an hour and 15 minutes away from Soulja Slim’s location in New Orleans and were packing to be on their way over to join everyone else. He spoke with his father Soulja Slim earlier in the day like they normally would and his father also got him a pair of shoes for the occasion, so it was by all means shaping up to be a warm family-filled day https://youtu.be/WKcjAXAL7Tg (2:41-3:10)
In everyone’s mind, nothing could ruin the day, but, they’d soon find out that things could, and would go wrong in the blink of an eye. Soulja Slim was about his errands, but one of those errands was also in preparation for a show he had later that night in Monroe. With him was his friend known as Jigg Star who was communicating with him in getting everything they needed before the show https://youtu.be/H_oppZUivCI (2:21-2:43)
The plan was, for Jigg Star and some friends to go get their clothes for the show from someone they normally shop by, but the person was hesitant to give the clothes to him and wanted to deal with Soulja Slim directly, as they didn’t pay the last time around https://youtu.be/H_oppZUivCI (3:39-4:22) Due to this, Jigg Star instead went to get something to eat while Soulja Slim handled the other end of things they needed. This created the opening for those waiting their moment to strike as Soulja Slim got back to the house https://youtu.be/H_oppZUivCI (4:26-4:39)
All of these separate events from three different perspectives, Soulja Slim’s friends, his son, and his sister, were about to converge at one overlapping point – his murder. At approximately 5:45 pm, Soulja Slim returned to the house, which was also the house he bought for his mother located on Lafaye Street. He parked his vehicle in front, exiting and leaving the door open. The engine was still running. As he stepped out, an assailant approached and fired several shots into his body https://youtu.be/H_oppZUivCI (4:55-5:09) https://youtu.be/G7NVOG8VMGM (0:12-0:22)
Those close, like Jagg Star who came screeching to a halt in his vehicle to find Soulja Slim on the floor, recalls serious bullet wounds to his face and chest https://youtu.be/H_oppZUivCI (5:35-5:55)
A neighbor later told news outlets they heard about 5 shots and immediately called 911
Magnolia Levee,
another friend of Soulja Slim was on his way at the time to the house when he saw the getaway car speeding past his direction prompting him to pull away from their path. At that moment, he was unaware it was the getaway car until he arrived at the house and saw Soulja Slim lying on the ground while others surrounded trying to help https://youtu.be/4BG0OdRnX84 (3:41-4:22)
Soulja Slim was still conscious after being shot. As he was lying there unable to speak oozing from his wounds, one of the bullets that struck his face must have damaged his teeth because he kept struggling to push his hands in his mouth as if to remove something https://youtu.be/4BG0OdRnX84 (4:53-5:21)
This presented another problem to the equation. Given the lifestyle that Soulja and his friends lived, the house and persons at the scene had various firearms that would become problems for them when the police showed up, so while being unable to move Soulja Slim due to his injuries, the scene turned into a panic where everyone was trying to scatter so they wouldn’t be held by the police https://youtu.be/4BG0OdRnX84 (4:39-4:53)
Levee would call another trusted friend of Soulja Slim named 6 Shot
that was often the one moving with Slim about his day to day https://youtu.be/1r-Vj6e9NkY (1:26-1:40) At the time of the shooting, 6 Shot was at a shopping center when he got the call and rushed over to the house to find Soulja Slim laying on the lawn https://youtu.be/4BG0OdRnX84 (2:06-2:23)
His friends were coming to reality with what was occurring at the scene, but his family who were all on their way to where he was to have a good time, started getting the devastating news. His son’s mother got the call from numerous persons while they were in the car ready to come to New Orleans and she informed him that his father was shot. At that time, it wasn’t anything new for Soulja Slim to be shot as he survived shootings before, but when the radio broke the news of his passing, that’s when they realized this time was different https://youtu.be/WKcjAXAL7Tg (3:13-3:48)
Soulja Slim’s sister got the news the same way. The message relayed to her was that her brother was shot, but just as others reacted, she didn’t think too much into it as he had been shot before and it was fine, but soon she realized the severity of the situation when they told her how bad it was. Hearing this she took her cousin and headed to where he was, leaving ahead of his mother. While they were going, his mother got the news and ran from his aunt’s house frantically. They all arrived to the grim reality as they saw Soulja Slim lying lifeless on the ground https://youtu.be/8KTqhB-nuHQ (17:24-18:22) His mother soon also arrived and it was like a strike to her heart, the most she could do was break down and fall to the floor https://youtu.be/8KTqhB-nuHQ (19:07-19:46)
The image was burned into those around. Soulja Slim was described as being contorted on the floor, his hands crossed irregularly, and then they knew, the indestructible Slim they knew, was gone
The reality slowly sang in as his family and friends realized what was actually happening as they watched hoping Soulja Slim would move https://youtu.be/8KTqhB-nuHQ (18:24-19:06)
The news spread throughout the city like wildfire detailing the sad details of what had occurred https://youtu.be/G4gpulYqxsg (30:23-30:40) Soulja Slim was well known and his loss resonated within everyone that knew his persona
The problem facing law enforcement now, was to find the culprit responsible for the murder. Soulja Slim was no stranger to feuds in the city and was a well known gangster that lived that lifestyle unapologetically without fear. He has been shot, jailed, and was known for demanding respect by even the toughest of gangsters in his path https://youtu.be/psz5fg3Qosw (2:35-3:38) He was firstly known as the notorious Magnolia Slim
So he had a lot of enemies wanting to take his life and he was always ready for war with an arsenal of firearms at his disposal https://youtu.be/ptAWQtkN1zg (1:27-2:46)
At that time of his murder, one name was flying around as being suspected as the one being responsible. His name was Master P, the No Limit Records CEO and rapper.
Many, even family members of Soulja Slim pointed the finger at him since he was wealthy enough to get the job done and the two were locked in a feud due to financial issues when Slim was under his record label https://youtu.be/7AUpgndgosk (2:26-3:13) https://youtu.be/7AUpgndgosk (1:22-1:30) Soulja Slim’s daughter would add fuel to the rumor after ranting online about her grievances with Master P and how he did her brother and took the lives of others as well https://youtu.be/q5LW9YnBvhg (7:29-8:00)
Still, according to Soulja Slim’s son, Master P wasn’t the one responsible as their relationship was shaky but not to the point where blood would be spilled, and instead insinuated that it was a hit and he was aware of the persons that did it through word on the street and mingling among affiliates of those responsible https://youtu.be/7AUpgndgosk (1:02-1:36) https://youtu.be/Oab0TnLtNR8 (19:25-19:45) https://youtu.be/Oab0TnLtNR8 (20:50-21:10) https://youtu.be/udBUyBwV4Ms (3:35-3:55)
While Master P was taking most of the blame, investigators were going another angle, and for a moment it seemed as though it paid off. Just over one month later on December 31st 2003, police arrested 22-year-old Garelle Smith for the murder of Soulja Slim.
According to their investigation, they found a stolen pistol with the serial number scratched off in Smith’s possession. Upon running a ballistics test, the results came back matching bullets as the one that killed Soulja Slim.
https://www.facebook.com/according2hiphop2/photos/a.3846807478713240/4702523363141643/
What’s more, is that reports also state that the murder was carried out on a $10,000 dollar payment for the deed. The severity of the case escalated when it was also realized that the gun was a .40-caliber Glock semi-automatic stolen from a New Orleans police officer’s home.
https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/arrest-in-soulja-slim-murder-case-67617/
Justice appeared to be on the horizon, but with no witness coming forward in the case, Smith’s charges were dropped and he was again a free man.
This narrative would continue after he was held in connection with other murders but somehow evaded capture
That was until he was found on August 2011, this time murdered as a victim of gun violence.
He was labeled on the streets, as an alleged hit man, an enforcer, a one-of-a-kind criminal who never left his neighborhood. His time, was now at an end
Since then, many rumors have circulated stating that Smith wasn’t the killer, and he was only in possession of the weapon. Instead, many widely believe that the person responsible was a big time record label owner and gangster who retaliated on Soulja Slim for the allege gruesome murder of someone by the name of Robert Lee Paige Jr.
https://allhiphop.com/news/prosecutors-refuse-charges-againts-man-accused-of-killing-soulja-slim/
Soulja Slim was on his way. He was on the verge of signing to worldwide dominating label G Unit which at the time held some of the hottest artists under the group with 50 Cent https://youtu.be/G4gpulYqxsg (29:13-29:34)
His legacy has impacted the sound throughout New Orleans. If he were still here, the industry would be eating out the palm of his hands. Rest in peace Soulja Slim https://youtu.be/xzJvwZOQeM4 (1:54-2:22) https://youtu.be/-6kdvLTsz_8 (1:00-3:06)
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
