Freaky Tah

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Raymond Rogers (May 14, 1971 - March 28, 1999), better known by his stage name, Freaky Tah, was a hip-hop artist from South Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Contents 1 Career 2 Death 3 Inspiration 4 Song Tributes

[edit] Career

He was a member of the group Lost Boyz, along with Mr. Cheeks, Pretty Lou and DJ Spigg Nice. He appeared on all three Lost Boyz albums. Although he is mainly remembered for being a hype man, he also rapped on several Lost Boyz tracks. Freaky Tah and the other Lost Boyz are featured on the track "Wanna Get Paid", a track from LL Cool J's Platinum-selling 1997 album Phenomenon.

[edit] Death

On the night of March 28, 1999, at a birthday party for Mr. Cheeks, Freaky Tah was shot in the head while exiting the Sheraton Hotel in Queens. Tah was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 4:20 am, at the age of 27. The getaway driver, Raheem Fletcher, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for manslaughter. In 2001, Kelvin Jones pleaded guilty to the murder.

[edit] Inspiration

In an interview with Riotsound.com[1], Freaky Tah's cousin, the rapper Domination stated:

"Tah inspired me, man. Tah came from the same struggle I came from, so he showed me that I could really do it. Tah always used to tell me "Yo, go in the studio, get in the studio and let's do it." I used to freestyle on the block and Tah used to have me battling grown cats. I'm 23 now, so Tah woulda been about 34, 35 right now, he died when he was 28. So he was older than me and people who was his age that were his colleagues and his peers, he had me battling them in the Chinese restaurant and whatnot."

[edit] Song Tributes

Freaky Tah is mentioned on many songs by other artists. These include:

• "Good Mourning" by Reflection Eternal from their 2000 album Train of Thought, in which Talib Kweli raps: "Freaky Tah, rock rock on".
• Mentioned by Canibus on his 2004 leaked track called "Tyrique", which he mentions him and the other slain rappers.
• "Just a Moment" by Nas' from his Street's Disciple album.
• Mos Def mentions Freaky Tha in his song, "Beef"
• Cormega's song "Hood Legends", off the Lakey The Kid album My Brother's Keeper, where Cormega's verse is dedicated to his friendship with Tah.
• Unk's Beat'n Down Yo Block album in a song called "Thinking of You"
• Pharoahe Monch hit "Simon Says(remix)"
• UGK's track "Heaven" off the album Underground Kingz
• the underground song "Bully" by Eminem; in a moment in the song where he's talking about people that we've lost in hip-hop over beef.
• Joe Budden's "Send Him Our Love" from Mood Muzik 3.
• "Paradise" by TQ feat Krayzie Bone, from TQ's album of the same name.