Las Vegas Again Scene of Violent Hip-Hop Murder Print
Written by Robert ID2524   
Sunday, 16 April 2006 11:06

The violence that surrounds hip-hop again has struck in Las Vegas with the murder of another rap artist.

The coroner's office of Clark County, Nevada has identified the man shot at a McDonalds last week as Kenneth West. Kenneth West is also known in the hip-hop community as rap artist ‘Kenfolk da-Mac.’

The 21 year old hip-hop rapper was shot while in a car containing three other adults and two young children.

Chain-Linx Entertainment chief executive and friend of the hip-hop artist Kenfolk da-Mac, Larry King said a car pulled up behind the one Kenfolk da-Mac was in, and another car parked in front of it, blocking its path, "A guy approached the car and shot him in the head."

King said he did not witness the murder but was told of what happened  by police detectives and a friend who was in the car with Kenfolk da-Mac during the shooting.

Kenfolk da-Mac was a hip-hop producer and a rap artist. He was part of a hip-hop click called ‘West Coast Headbusters’ who have an upcoming album release titled ‘Dem West Coast Headbusters.’

Larry King said the hip-hop artist was the only person in the vehicle targeted. "I think he was the wrong person," King said. "He wasn''t the target."

Las Vegas Police said Sgt. Steve Summers, an 11-year veteran, was near the McDonalds and immediately responded. A suspect was shot during a gun battle and remains in the hospital. No details have been released about his identity.

Las Vegas has seen it’s share of hip-hop violence going back to the murder of Tupac Shakur (2Pac) in 1996; but during the past 2 years many different hip-hop and rap artists have been murdered in Las Vegas.

Kenfolk da-Mac was not known to have any gang ties or ‘beef’ with any other rap artists. He had turned 21 years old 2 days before his murder. According to his MySpace he had only been living in Vegas for about 2 months.

"I''m very much concerned for artists and their safety. It (the killings) definitely rings alarms; I wish we could just stop this senseless violence and killing. It kind of gives rap a bad name, and it gives black people a bad name," said King. "I would hope he (West) didn''t die in vain and that something positive could come of it."

Visit the MySpace pages of Mac and The West Coast Headbustaz to leave your condolences. R.I.P. - Kenneth West aka Kenfolk da-Mac

MySpace page of Kenfolk da-Mac at http://www.myspace.com/thamac

And the MySpace of West Coast Headbustaz

http://www.myspace.com/westcoastheadbustaz