Richard Shaw — better known by his rap moniker Bushwick Bill — may have been born with dwarfism, but his presence was larger than life. Sadly, the Geto Boys MC passed away at a Houston hospital on Sunday (June 9), roughly four months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 52.
Alongside Scarface, Willie D and the late DJ Ready Red, the Kingston-born artist laid the foundation for the horrorcore genre with their dark lyrics and ominous tones.
In the early ’90s, the Geto Boys were propelled to national recognition following the release of their 1991 album, We Can’t Be Stopped, which spawned the massive single,”Minds Playing Tricks On Me.” The track peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed at No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Rap Songs chart.
The We Can’t Be Stopped cover art depicted a photo of Bushwick being rushed into surgery moments after he accidentally shot himself during an argument with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the incident cost Bushwick his right eye.
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On the flip side, the graphic and controversial image equated to more album sales, and the project was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA in 1992.
The 3-feet, 8-inch tall rapper released six solo albums during the course of his career and is considered a bona fide legend by countless fans and peers alike.
Hip Hop came out in droves to mourn the loss of Bushwick — from Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Naughty By Nature to Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes and Erick Sermon.
Check out the reactions below.
