It was an ugly late-night beatdown in a parking lot, one that ended in a shooting death not unlike others that have plagued Atlanta.
But this one’s different. This involves Chaka Zulu, a successful music exec and longtime manager of Atlanta rapper Ludacris. Zulu is charged with murder after one of the men who had pummeled him seconds earlier was shot to death. It’s all captured on very clear security video camera footage distributed by the popular website TMZ, along with a stop-action tick-tock of the events, complete with arrows identifying the combatants. Zulu’s lawyers say the video is legit.
This case also brings up questions about Georgia’s “stand your ground” law and includes a very public lobbying effort to sway Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from moving forward with the charges levied by Atlanta police. The effort includes former Mayor Kasim Reed, a longtime friend of Zulu, whose full name is Ahmed Chaka Zulu Obafemi. There has also been public support from numerous music stars, including 50 Cent.
