Universal Ramblings

Dolla, an Atlanta rapper was fatally shot at the Beverly Center on Monday afternoon, causing mall diners to dive for cover and sparking a police dragnet for suspects.

The shooting occurred around 3:10 p.m. in the parking structure of the popular Westside mall. Dolla, a rapper whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II, was shot in the head while he and another rapper, D.J. Shabbazz, were waiting in the valet area, according to Dolla’s publicist, Sue Vannasing.

Who is Dolla ?

Roderick Anthony Burton II (November 25, 1987 – May 18, 2009) better known by his stage name Dolla, was an American rapper. He made his debut with the single “Who the F*** Is That?”. His song, “Feelin’ Myself”, is featured on the Step Up soundtrack. The song “Feelin’ Myself,” was a “bite” of the Mac Dre song of the same name released while Dolla was in the lunch line at his local middle school. He also was a member of the Hip hop group Da Razkalz Cru.

Before he was signed to Akon’s label and climbed the charts with the hardcore single “Who the Heck Is That,” Atlanta rapper Dolla played talent shows and showcases as a member of Da Razkalz Cru. They released the 2003 single “So Fly” on the major-label imprint Elektra, but it went nowhere and the band was dropped from the label that same year. In the end, the best thing that would happen to Dolla as he was hanging with Razkalz was meeting both Akon, who was producing for the label, and Diddy, who would take Dolla under his wing not as a rapper, but as a model. Modeling clothes from Diddy’s Sean John label took him around the country and put his image on the huge billboard above the Hyatt Hotel in Los Angeles. He eventually ran into his old friend Akon and after some studio sessions, Dolla was signed to Akon’s Konvict Muzik label. In 2006 he landed on the Step Up soundtrack and partnered with mixtape DJ Nappy Wilson for The Beatdown Mixtape. He spent the next year working on his debut album. Early in 2008 the “Who the Heck Is That” single appeared, although the street version replaced “Heck” with the “F bomb.” Singers T-Pain and Tay Dizm appeared on the initial cut, while Akon was added to the remix.