Shawty Lo

Carlos Rico Walker (March 22, 1976 – September 21, 2016), better known by his stage name Shawty Lo, was an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group D4L, who were best known for their 2005 single "Laffy Taffy" — which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

His 2007 debut single, "Dey Know", peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. It preceded his debut studio album, Units in the City (2008), which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200.

On September 21, 2016, Walker died in a car crash. His second studio album, R.I.C.O., was released posthumously in March 2017.

Music career

2000–06: Career beginnings with D4L

In 2003, Shawty Lo formed the Southern hip hop group D4L, with fellow Atlanta-based rappers Fabo, Mook-B and Stoney. Shawty Lo subsequently launched his indie record label D4L Records. Shawty Lo self-funded the group in its early days. He explained that the group's name stands for "Down for Life". The group signed to the indie label Dee Money Entertainment, which released the group's debut in conjunction with Asylum Records.

D4L's debut album, titled Down for Life, was executive produced by Shawty Lo and eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album had spawned the hit singles "Betcha Can't Do It Like Me" and "Laffy Taffy". The latter of which attributed much to the group's success, as it broke records as the most downloaded song in the history of music according to the 2007 Guinness Book of the World Records. It was also a multi-platinum ring tone and scored a ASCAP award.