Biography
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Died
16 July 2001 (aged None)
Eric Smith (November 19, 1969 – July 16, 2001), better known by his stage name E-Moneybags, was an American rapper. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in the Queens. He released one album. DJ Kay Slay released a tribute mixtape to E-Moneybags after his death. The mixtape contained freestyles and unreleased tracks by E-Moneybags.
During his career, E-Moneybags worked with several well-known hip hop acts, like Tupac Shakur, Live Squad, Prodigy, Noreaga, Bravehearts, and Nas. He released his first (and only) album in 1999, entitled In E-Moneybags We Trust.
Later, he would find himself in a dispute with fellow rapper Jay-Z. The bad blood is thought to have originated over Smith's displeasure with Jay-Z having an artist on his Roc-A-Fella Records roster named "H Money Bags". A verbal confrontation between the two occurred during an interview with Jay-Z on New York's Hot 97 radio show. Prodigy, an associate of E-Moneybags, called the radio station and asked for Jay-Z. After being connected with the rapper, he handed the phone to E-Moneybags and the two began to argue on air.
Following the very public argument, E-Moneybags recorded a couple of diss songs aimed toward Jay-Z (none of which provoked a response from Jay-Z). The best known of these records was entitled "The Gospel." This song is also significant as it is the last song he recorded before his murder.
E-Moneybags was killed 9:45 PM, at Queens Village, July 16th, 2001. Many believe he was murdered by hit men connected with Queen's infamous drug trafficking gang, The Supreme Team. It is alleged that the murder was retaliatory after E-Moneybags killed McGriff's associate, Colbert Johnson in December, 1999.
In February 2007, drug-gang Supreme Team's founder Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff was found guilty of ordering the murder of E-Moneybags and Troy Singleton in 2001. He was sentenced to life in prison for this and other drug-related crimes.
Big Noyd, Cormega and E-Moneybags were in Queens when Money was shot ten times in July 2001 as he sat in his Lincoln Navigator parked on the street. In late August 2001, police found a videotape. On the video, which was filmed July 13 - July 16, Smith is seen driving and parking his car on the Queens street where he was gunned down at 9:45 PM. The video was shot by Dennis Crosby, a drug-dealing McGriff associate, and Nicole Brown, Crosby's girlfriend.
He is survived by his son, Eric Smith Jr.
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