C-Murder Arrested for Nightclub Shooting – Today in Hip-Hop

XXL celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with this moment:

Jan. 19, 2002: On this day, C-Murder, younger brother of No Limit Records founder, Master P, and uncle to rapper Romeo Miller, was arrested in Louisiana in connection with a nightclub shooting that resulted in the death of a young fan.

C-Murder was accused of shooting 16-year-old Steve Thomas on Jan. 12, 2002 at Harvey, La.’s Platinum Club. Witnesses say C-Murder and Thomas got into an argument and that Murder pulled out a handgun and fired at the minor from point-blank range. Thomas later died from his gunshot wound.

C-Murder, born Corey Miller, was one of Master P’s first signees on No Limit Records in the late 1990s. His 1998 debut album, Life or Death, premiered at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart the week of April 4, 1998. C-Murder has also collaborated with other artists on his No Limit label like Snoop Dogg, who appeared on his 2000 street anthem “Down 4 My Niggaz,” featuring Magic and Silkk The Shocker’s 1999 song “Southside Niggaz.”

Though he’s currently serving a life sentence in prison for Thomas’ murder, new revelations surfaced in 2018. The first witness, Kenneth Jordan, came forward and admitted to being coerced by detectives of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office to name C-Murder as the gunman in the murder. Then, a second witness came forward and recanted his initial statement of naming Miller as the shooter as well.

On July 7, 2018, Master P hosted a rally for his brother at Xavier University in New Orleans, calling for his release. “I thank y’all for being here today,” P told the crowd, with brother, Silkk The Shocker, by his side. “This is a peaceful event. Cory got his head up. He in good spirits. It’s time for him to come home. He’s an innocent man. You know what I’m saying. They have no more witnesses. Both witnesses have already came and recanted their statements.”

In the past, C-Murder‘s attorney, Paul Barker, petitioned the court to overturn the conviction and order a new trial. However, on Jan. 25, 2019, a judge denied the embattled rapper’s request for a new trial.

Nevertheless, several celebrities have shown their support for C-Murder and are working to get him free from prison. On Aug. 16, 2020, Kim Kardashian announced that she enlisted R&B singer Monica, Erin Haney and the Policy Director at REFORM Alliance, among others, to assist her in getting C-Murder‘s prison sentence vacated.

Watch NOLA.com’s The Case of New Orleans Rapper Corey “C-Murder” Miller

Watch WDSU News Report “C-Murder Speaks Out” Below