| Bushwick Bill | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
Richard William Stephen Shaw |
|
Born |
December 8, 1966 |
|
Origin |
Houston, Texas, U.S. |
|
Died |
June 9, 2019 (aged 52) |
|
Genre |
|
|
Occupation(s) |
Rapper |
|
Years active |
1986-2019 |
|
Label |
Rap-A-Lot Records (1986-1995) |
|
Associated acts |
|
Richard William Stephen Shaw (December 8, 1966 - June 9, 2019), better known by his stage name Bushwick Bill, was a Jamaican-American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was known for being a member of the influential Southern hip hop group Geto Boys, which he originally joined as a dancer in 1986.[1] He went on to become one-third of the best-known incarnation of the group, alongside Willie D and Scarface. Shaw appeared on seven of the eight albums by the group and contributed to some of the group's most notable songs, including "Mind Playing Tricks on Me", "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta" and "The World Is a Ghetto".[1]
Shaw was born with dwarfism and stood at a height of 3 feet 8 inches. He lost his right eye in 1991 as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Early life[]
Shaw was born on December 8, 1966, in Kingston, Jamaica to Rollin and Deloris Shaw. His father was a merchant marine, and his mother was a maid. Shaw was born with dwarfism. He moved at an early age to the New York City district of Bushwick in Brooklyn, of which he would later derive his stage name. He spent his schooling years in Houston, Texas. Shaw dropped out of high school, failing the majority of his courses during his freshman year and having a reading level of a fourth-grade student.
Personal life[]
On the evening of May 9, 1991, Shaw shot himself in the eye during an argument with his girlfriend while under the influence of Everclear grain alcohol and PCP, losing his right eye in the process. The aftermath of the incident was documented on the album cover for Geto Boys' 1991 album We Can't Be Stopped, which shows Shaw being pushed through the hospital on a gurney by group members Willie D and Scarface. Shaw claims he "died and came back to life" during the incident, and has made reference to the event in his music. His song "Ever So Clear" from his 1992 album Little Big Man describes the shooting.
In May 2010, Shaw was arrested in Georgia for possession of marijuana and cocaine. Based on his prior arrest record, he faced deportation.
Death[]
On May 1, 2019, Shaw revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. On the morning of June 9, 2019, fellow Geto Boys member Scarface announced that Shaw had passed away. However, a few hours later, Shaw's publicist announced that Shaw was still alive with family members by his hospital bed, despite news of his passing quickly spreading.[2] Shaw passed away later that same day, at 9:35 p.m. local time.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1992: Little Big Man
- 1995: Phantom of the Rapra
- 1998: No Surrender...No Retreat
- 2001: Universal Small Souljah
- 2005: Gutta Mixx
- 2010: My Testimony of Redemption