• View Comments
• Share with Shortlink:

Pioneering New Orleans rapper Sporty T, who helped define the city’s rap scene in the late 80s, was found shot to death early Tuesday morning (July 15).

The 41-year-old born Terrance Vine was discovered by his sister after his FEMA trailer was riddled with bullets in the pre-dawn hours.

Police arrived at the crime scene in the New Orleans community of Gentilly around 4:30am and immediately pronounced Vine dead.

Investigators are hoping witnesses will come forward with information that will lead to a suspect.

Vine had survived a previous attack in 2001, when he was shot 5 times by an ex-girlfriend.

A founding member of the Crescent City Infamous Ninja Crew, Sporty T’s career spawned over 20 solo and group albums between the late 1980s and 2001, when he released his last four projects over a two month period.

In addition to paving the way for artists like Master P and the success he attained with No Limit Records, Sporty T had a direct hand in the success of groups UNLV and Partners In Crime. “I thought he was a great guy, he was ambitious and fun,” Master P told AllHipHop.com. “It’s a tragedy and we have to stop the violence. He was a victim of his environment. I try to instill to our kids to get the proper education. When you grow up in a place of poverty, sometimes you have to get away. He was a real good person.”

His career would ultimately be defined by beef, after a rivalry between the two groups escalated into an on-wax war between UNLV’s label, Cash Money Records and Big Boy Records, to which both Sporty T and Partners In Crime were signed.

Despite having been a childhood friend of then Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh and maintained a longstanding relationship with both Baby and Slim Williams, Sporty T aligned himself with his label mates.

He continued his feud with Cash Money years after having left the Big Boy imprint, drawing fire from Juvenile, B.G., and even a young Lil’ Wayne.

Sporty T maintained that several lines from Juvenile’s 2001 release 400 Degreez were directed at him and he was also the subject of various disses from Lil Wayne and B.G. as well.

“F**k Big Boy” (Partners in Crime Diss)”: B.G. featuring UNLV and a young Lil Wayne:

http://www.imeem.com/famouzakadimez/music/RVXRxRe2/bg_ft_unlv_lil_wayne_fuck_big_boy_partners_in_crime_di/