The Outlawz Immortalz were running with 2Pac when it was him against the world. Hand-picked by the legendary rapper as his heir apparents, the crew of New Jersey and California MCs, mostly nicknamed after famed resistance leaders, were the icon’s soldiers-at-arms in the rap game.
Consisting of Pac’s stepbrother (Komani), god brother (Yaki Khadafi), cousin (Kastro), a former member of the group Thug Life (Big Syke), and five other aspiring MCs, E.D.I. Mean, Hussein Fatal, Young Noble, Napoleon and Storm, the group had a measurable buzz in the mid-’90s.
Appearing on classic songs like the seminal diss track “Hit Em Up” and featuring on the platinum 2Pac albums Me Against the World, All Eyez on Me, Gang Related [Soundtrack], and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, the outfit looked to be heading for greater heights with Shakur at the helm.
But following Makaveli’s death in September 1996, they had yet to drop their debut LP and things appeared to get unstable among the remaining members. One of the guys was murdered just two months after Pac’s untimely killing. A few people jumped ship. A couple quit rap altogether. Those who were left eventually put out seven studio albums between 1999 and 2011, in addition to a dozen mixtapes, carrying on 2Pac’s Thug Life mantra.
With the recent death of OG member Hussein Fatal, only two of the three members who graced the cover of the 2011 album Perfect Timing remain. Here’s what Makaveli’s minions are up to now.
C. Vernon Coleman is a writer living in Atlanta. Follow him @Vernon_Coleman.