Ludacris’ partner and longtime producer Chaka Zulu reportedly shot in Atlanta
Veteran music producer Chaka Zulu was reportedly shot Sunday during a fatal triple shooting in Atlanta.
The co-CEO of Disturbing Tha Peace Records, which he co-founded with actor-rapper Ludacris, was among three men shot at a Peachtree Hills shopping center in the city’s Buckhead neighborhood. One of the men died at a local hospital, according to local news station WSB-TV.
Police officers responded to the incident around 11:35 p.m. at 2293 Peachtree Road, according to an incident report posted Monday on the the Atlanta Police Department’s website.
“Upon arrival, officers located three adult males with gunshot wounds. The victims were transported to the hospital where one of them was later pronounced deceased,†the statement said. “Homicide investigators responded to the scene to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.â€
The investigation is active and ongoing, the department said. It did not name Zulu in the report.
WSB-TV reported that police were still searching for the shooter Monday evening and that Zulu survived his injuries and is recovering at the hospital. Variety, citing a source close to the situation, reported that his condition is critical but stable.
Representatives for the producer and Ludacris did not immediately respond Monday to The Times’ request for comment.
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XXL Magazine reported that the shooting occurred in a parking lot and resulted from a dispute outside a restaurant called Apt 4B.
Zulu, also a co-CEO for Ebony Son Entertainment and founder of lifestyle brand Culture Republic, got his start in radio as an on-air personality at his college station and interned for various record labels. He also worked at Atlanta’s community-based radio station WRFG before becoming music director and an on-air personality for the city’s Hot 97.5 (now 107.9) station.
He also did radio promotions for Sony Music/Columbia Records and Universal Music Group/Island Def Jam, and worked at Monster, the company that launched the famous Beats by Dre headphones. In 1998, he co-founded Disturbing Tha Peace with industry veteran Jeff Dixon and “Move†rapper and “Fast and Furious†franchise star Ludacris. The label, whose acts include Ludacris, Chingy and Lil Scrappy, signed a long-term deal with Def Jam Recordings in 2008.
In 2019, Zulu joined audio streaming platform Spotify in the newly created role of head of artist and talent relations, but a spokesperson for the company said Monday that he has not worked for Spotify for several years.
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