While rapper Paris
was exercising, the Bay area rapper received about a half dozen phone calls wondering
if he was alive.
The internet and California Hip-Hop community was abuzz upon
hearing that the politically charged lyricist was brutally murdered in some
type of home invasion.
DJ T-K.a.s.h., an artist signed to Paris’ Guerilla Funk label,
confirmed with AllHipHop.com that the artist was alive.
Tragedy struck elsewhere in the community.
Friends and family of Tarus Jackson, an associate of politically
charged enclave The Coup, were not as fortunate. Jackson was reportedly slain.
According to reports, Jackson traveled with The Coup on the
group’s last tour, not the rapper Paris.
Jackson, of West Oakland, was fatally shot after a "home
invasion" of his home on Tuesday morning.
The victim of an apparent robbery, Jackson was shot after two
armed men forced their way into his home and demanded money of him.
"It looks like he didn’t move fast enough so they killed
him," homicide Sgt. Phil Green told the Tri-Valley Herald. "He was
definitely the target. They had good reason to believe he had a sizable amount
of money inside."
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland have offered a $12,000
reward for anybody that can present information that results in an arrest.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (510) 238-6946
or police at (510) 238-3821.
"Man, I knew that cat. Tarus was a homeboy from West Oakland
who hooked up with Boots (the lead rapper of The Coup)," one source told
AllHipHop.com. "The whole s**t is sad. Him and boots were close."
Jackson, 36, was considered a hype man for the Bay Area rap
group, which he joined about a year ago.
The Coup and Jackson
had wrapped a 36-city, three-week tour on last Thursday.
