Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo, the 40-year co-founder of hip-hop group D4L, was reportedly killed this morning (September 21) in what police are calling a single-car accident on a Georgia highway. He was 40 years old.
Born Carlos Walker in Moultrie, Georgia, Shawty Lo was at Lo the Blue Flame Lounge in Atlanta last night just hours before the incident, which occurred around 2:20 a.m. He posted several Instagram videos from the venue.
D4L is best known for 2005 hit “Laffy Taffy”, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and went triple platinum. It’s considered a leading track of snap music, a form of Southern hip-hop that derived from crunk in the late ’90s.
MTV reports “the rapper’s Audi went over a guardrail and hit two trees on the I-285 southbound ramp to Cascade Road around 2:20 a.m. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Two passengers were also in the car, and were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.”
This morning, Complex reports that news of his death was first reported by rapper and radio personality Headkrack, and then confirmed by his manager Johnny Cabbell.
With deep regret I have to report this morning that #ShawtyLo has been killed in a hit and run accident. More details to follow.
— Headkrack (@headkrack) September 21, 2016
My brother has passed he is no longer here but his spirit, his kind heart , and his music will live on Long live Shawty Lo King of Bankhead
— SHAWTY LO (@THATSSHAWTYLO) September 21, 2016
More to come. Watch a video from the scene by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.