Inglewood police are continuing to sift through hundreds of tips they have received in the search for information or witnesses to the killing of 22-year-old Hip Hop artist Montae Talbert.
Police say Talbert was shot twice in the head Sunday at about 10:30 p.m. while sitting in a car outside a liquor store in the 400 north block of La Brea Avenue.
Talbert, popularly known as M-Bone, was a founding member of the Hip Hop group Cali Swag District, best known for the single “Teach Me How to Dougie,” released in April 2010.
The song debuted at 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to No. 28 by the 13th week. It also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers, after holding the No. 2 spot for six consecutive weeks.
Created by former Death Row Records artists Watoni Dillard (Big WY) and Dairold Potts, Cali Swag is signed with Capital Records’ Checkmate Entertainment imprint, and “Teach Me How to Dougie” was the first single off the group’s debut album, “Kickback,” expected out later this year. The single was certified platinum in the United States.
Cali Swag had just returned from a show in Boston, and had also performed locally in April at a regional Sprite Step-Off competition held at USC.
According to group member C-Smoove, Talbert went to the store in preparation for three birthdays they were about to celebrate.
“We always did everything as a unit, and the one time the unit didn’t do a thing together . . . There were three birthdays yesterday (Monday) and our goal was to celebrate our friends. He went to the store to tribute our friends . . . we went from celebrating to mourning. It’s like somebody changed the channel,” C-Smoove said Tuesday after the shooting.
Andrea Armstrong, Talbert’s mother, said despite the many tattoos her son had on his body, he was not involved in gangs. In fact, she said he was about just the opposite–creating positive music and being involved in a career he really loved.
Described by friends and family as a fun-loving person who loved to dance and party, M-Bone was apparently around the corner from a studio where Cali Swag used to record some of its music, when he was shot.
Big WY, co-owner of 3.1.9 Music Group, said Talbert had a ear for music and recalled the first time the young rapper heard the group’s song on the radio.
“He started dancing in the street and saying ‘it’s on the radio’,” remembers the producer. He went on to say that while everyone is grieving, Cali Swag would not make sad music in tribute to the young artist, but rather would do what M-Bone would do–party.
For full interviews with Cali Swag District members and others, see the video at http://www.ourweekly.com
