R.I.P Dolla

Although he was generally known for only one song, Dolla is yet another music artist (on a list that seems to keep getting longer and longer) that we've lost to gun violence. My condolences to his family and to everyone else that knew him. SMH

Atlanta rapper Dolla slain in Beverly Hills

By CHRISTIAN BOONE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, May 18, 2009

Atlanta rapper Dolla was killed Monday afternoon outside a popular Beverly Hills mall, his publicist has confirmed.

Dolla, born Roderick Anthony Burton II, was gunned down while waiting in the valet area of the Beverly Center, said publicist Sue Vannasing. He was accompanied by another local rapper, D.J. Shabbazz, and a fellow Jive Recording artist, Scrapp DeLeon.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Rap artist Dolla, born Roderick Anthony Burton II, had a song, ‘Feelin’ Myself,’ featured on the ‘Step Up’ soundtrack

Los Angeles Police spokeswoman Karen Rayner said two “persons of interest” — one male, one female — are being questioned but neither has been charged in connection with the shooting. They were detained before attempting to board a plane out of Los Angeles International Airport, about 10 miles away from the Beverly Center.

Vannasing said Dolla, 21, was involved in an altercation before the shooting with an unidentified man and woman who followed him to the mall. A witness at the Beverly Center said Burton was shot by a woman, according to an L.A Times report.

Dolla had just arrived in Los Angeles earlier Monday, his publicist said. He was recording his first album, “Another Day, Another Dolla.”

“He had a very promising career,” Vannasing said. “He was being hyped as the next Tupac [Shakur]. He chose music to get off the streets.”

Burton moved to Atlanta when he was 5 after his father shot himself in front of the rapper and his sister.

“He was the man of the house,” Vannasing said.

His mother, Joyce Burton, still resides in Atlanta, where Dolla’s funeral will be held, Vannasing said.

News of the shooting spread rapidly on Twitter where, ironically, the rapper had just opened an account earlier in the day.

According to his official MySpace page, Burton began performing in local showcases at age 12 with his group, Da Razkals Cru. He was signed to Elektra Records in 2001, his site says. The label eventually dissolved and the group split in 2003, when Dolla said he returned to Atlanta to focus on a solo career.

“I was disappointed but all that made me do was work harder,” he said. “It was a stepping stone.”

He soon signed with Jive, where, collaborating with former Elektra acquaintance, Akon, released his first single “Who The F—- Is That?” featuring T-Pain.

“My music is universal,” Dolla said on his Web site. “I can do street music or pop music. But whatever I do, I attempt to make meaningful songs with substance.”