Akon :: Konvict Music Artist Dolla Dead at 21

Rapper Dolla, born Roderick Anthony Burton II, was shot and killed while waiting in the valet area of the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles on Monday (May 18). He was 21.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the up-and-coming rapper, who signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik label in 2007, had flown to Los Angeles that very morning to continue work on his oft-delayed solo debut, "A Dolla And A Dream," which had been slated for a summer release. He went to the Beverly Center to shop, his publicist Sue Vannasing told the newspaper. After the shooting, Burton was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center a few blocks from the mall, where he died, police said.

According to the Times, the LAPD has not announced a motive for the attack or identified any official suspects, although detectives are questioning a woman they detained at the scene and a man who allegedly fled in a silver Mercedes SUV after he was detained while approaching the ticketing area at the Los Angeles International Airport armed with a gun.

TMZ reports police arrested a man identified as 23-year-old Aubrey Berry at LAX after authorities issued an alert that the suspect may be headed for the airport. The airport police reportedly spotted a man who matched the description of the assailant sitting in the lobby of one of the terminals. When police approached him, Berry said he knew why they were there, raised his hands and told them he had a 9 MM gun in his waistband.

The shooting took place at around 3:10 P.M., and according to the Times, sent shoppers and diners -- who said they heard four to five shots rang out -- diving for cover. “Dolla was part of the Konvict Entertainment family and an incredible artist. This is a senseless crime and the industry has lost a real talent. Our heart goes out to his family, friends, and fans,” Akon said via a statement. “It’s a terrible tragedy," T-Pain added. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

As first reported on Billboard.com last year, Dolla lived through his share of hardships in his short life. Born in Chicago in 1988 as a twin, Dolla's sibling died due to an enlarged heart. At the age of five, after relocating to Los Angeles, his father committed suicide in front of him. As early as age ten, Dolla was dealing drugs in attempt to help make ends meet at home. In 2006, his sister was sentenced to jail following an altercation with police, leaving Dolla and his mother to care for his young niece and nephew. In 2007, Dolla was shot during an attempted robbery.

All the while, Dolla had dreams of leaving the hard knock life behind and becoming a famous rapper. At age 12, he formed a rap group called Da Razkals Cru, who caught the attention of Missy Elliott and Sean "Diddy" Combs, later becoming a model for the latter's Sean John Clothing line.

By 2001, the group signed a deal with Elektra Records, where Dolla met the singer/producer Akon. Unfortunately, Elektra folded a few years later and the group was released from their contract in 2003. By then, Akon had already formed his Konvict Muzik imprint and was looking to expand, and so he signed a joint venture with Dolla's The Gang Entertainment. Shortly after, Dolla was signed as a solo artist to Jive Records via Konvict.

His first single, "Who The Fuck Is That," featuring T-Pain and Tay Dizm, peaked on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 42 early 2008.

DJ Romie Rome´s note: "Google Dolla´s song Heartbreak Collision. He sent me this song months ago fam. Its hot. We lost another one....."