Ludacris’ longtime manager, Chaka Zulu, has been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of a man outside his Atlanta restaurant in June, and new footage sheds light on what transpired that fateful night.
On Thursday (September 22), TMZ published surveillance footage from outside Zulu’s APT 4B restaurant on June 26, which shows the Disturbing Tha Peace co-founder firing the deadly shots into the victim, 23-year-old Artez Benton, as well the fight that preceded it.
The almost three-minute long clip captures Chaka Zulu (real name Ahmed Obafemi) getting into a verbal confrontation with another man, Tre’mon Robinson, in the restaurant parking lot. As the pair argue, another man, Corey Crawford, can be seen retrieving something out of a vehicle, which Zulu’s legal team believe was a gun.
Things turn physical when Robinson appears to chest bump Zulu, who retaliates by shoving Robinson into a nearby car and grabbing him by the collar. Crawford, Benton and another man immediately jump in to help Robinson, with all four pummeling Zulu with punches, kicks and stomps.
Zulu’s female assistant jumps in to try to defend Zulu, but ends up getting punched in the face by Robinson. After getting back on his feet, Zulu can be seen brandishing a gun and firing at least one shot into Benton, knocking him to the ground.
Crawford, off-camera, then fires multiple shots of his own, with at least one striking Zulu in the back.
Police arrived at the scene at around 11:35 p.m., after which Zulu and Benton were rushed to a local hospital and underwent emergency surgery. However, Benton later died from his injuries.
Zulu turned himself into authorities on September 13 and was hit with a litany of charges, including murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and simple battery. In a statement following his arrest, Zulu’s lawyer, Gabe Banks, claimed his client acted in self-defense.
“A close review of the all of the evidence, including surveillance footage and eyewitness interviews, reveal that Mr. Zulu was attacked and jumped from behind by a gang of at least four (4) individuals (sadly including the decedent) and was forced to defend himself after this gang repeatedly stomped, punched, and kicked him while he was on the ground in a defenseless posture,” Banks wrote.
“In an attempt to save his life, Mr. Zulu lawfully discharged his weapon in self-defense, a weapon that he was licensed to carry. Mr. Zulu fully cooperated with law enforcement officials and their investigation, and voluntarily turned himself in once he learned of the arrest warrants.”
Ludacris' Manager Chaka Zulu Arrest Warrant Provides More Details In Fatal Triple Shooting
50 Cent certainly seems to agree. Hours after the surveillance footage surfaced, the Power mogul voiced his support for Chaka Zulu via his Instagram page.
“@uluz3 hold your head i saw the tapes there is no way you should be charged with anything, the way they punched the young lady that was there was crazy,” he wrote next to Banks’ aforementioned statement.
Fellow G-Unit comrade Tony Yayo also offered his support, commenting: “Free Shaka.” Zulu was released from custody on September 13 after posting a $200,000 bond.
Sorry, but the charges for him make no sense, and the narrative that the guy who got killed was some innocent bystander isn’t holding up either. Where are the charges for these other people if you charged him?
They ain’t famous that’s why they ain’t charged why go after broke people when you call go after a rich man and get as much money as possible from him. That’s all it’s about??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️??♂️ damn same to cause he was just defending himself
They are charging him with murder because they know he can’t be convicted on that, had they charged him with manslaughter he would be going to jail
He’s facing a murder one charge. His life is on the line although I would hope any jury won’t go along, but you never know in this country.
Straight up murder 2. His claim to self defense is out the window when everyone was backing away. He was pissed , they just fucked him up and he wasn’t gonna let it stand at that. Sounds like many of you don’t actually know what the streets are about. Best y’all stay off them. And definitely don’t understand what’s what with the legal system. Fly straight , don’t be about this bullshit and all that feminine emotion and life will be alright
What a waste. The guy barely got any licks off. He goes from getting punched in the head by his own guy, punched in the head by a woman, and then shot dead by the guy he couldn’t even manage to beat up while he was on the ground. Darwinism ladies and gentlemen.
It just wasn’t his night
The fight ain’t make no sense to me. It looks scripted. While shoot just one person when you got jumped by several. And again, Robinson and Crawford lacked the intense energy to participate in the fight. It may have been a set up.
Huh? So he should’ve shot all 4 of them? Your comment makes no sense. Get the fuck outta here with your conspiracy.
Homegirl in the orange shirt got punched in the face twice for trying to interject herself into that fight.
Unpopular opinion but… Zulu starts the fight and then shoots people when they are no longer engaging with him. I don’t think it’s murder because I don’t think he went out to kill anybody, he reacted to the situation, but it is his fault. The facts are as follows: he walks across the lot to confront the guy, he pushes the guy into the car, he gets jumped (for starting the physical altercation), and then when nobody is engaged with him he chases and shoots them. He isn’t the victim, he instigated and escalated. I’m sorry, he should be in jail. The dudes that jumped him as well, but he deserves to be in for longer because none of this happens if he doesn’t start the shit. People are delusional when it involves someone they like.
You are exactly on point . 100% .People will twist and turn to see things how they want, but this comment is what really happen. I’d bet money you ain’t a democrat ?
Ideally that scum bag that punched shorty should have got capped but life don’t work that way