September 21 In Hip-Hop History: Shawty Lo Dies After Car Crash In Atlanta

Shawty Lo's influence can still be felt in the rap game even after his tragic death.

On September 21, 2016, the D4L artist, born Carlos Walker, passed away after his 2016 Audi flipped over and crashed while he was getting off the Cascade Road exit ramp on Interstate 285. He was reportedly speeding when he lost control of the vehicle, veered into the guardrail onto the grass and down into the embankment. The vehicle flipped before it crashed and burst into flames. He had two female passengers who miraculously escaped and survived the accident.

According to 11Alive, Shawty Lo had a large amount cash on him at the time, which was found all around the scene of the accident. The women who were in the car with him told police that they pleaded with him to slow down while on the highway but he didn't do it in time. Medical examiners ruled his cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head which occurred after he was ejected from the car when it flipped. He was only 40.

Shawty Lo was the founding member of Atlanta-based rap group D4L along with Fabo, Mook-B and Stoney. The group rose to prominence in the early 2000s with classics like "Betcha Can't Do It Like Me," "Laffy Taffy" and "I'm da Man." After their music launched the "snap music" era in southern Hip-Hop, Shawty Lo went solo and dropped his debut commercial solo single "Dey Know" off his 2008 solo LP Units In The City. It was the only solo album he dropped during his lifetime.

The late rapper's life was celebrated during a ceremony at the Blue Flame Lounge in Atlanta, which is the final place he was seen at before his death. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in College Park, Ga. on October 1, 2016. To this day, Shawty Lo's music continues to influence Hip-Hop. Latto recently sampled his infamous bars from "I'm da Man" in her hit song "Put It On Da Floor."

Rest in peace Shawty Lo. Check out his greatest hits below.