Tim Dog

Tim Dog
Background information
Birth nameTimothy J. Blair[1]
Born(1967-01-03)January 3, 1967[2]
The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 14, 2013(2013-02-14) (aged 46)[3]
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.[4]
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Years active1988–2009
Labels

Timothy J. Blair (January 3, 1967 – February 14, 2013),[2][5][6][7] better known by his stage name Tim Dog, was an American rapper from the Bronx, New York, who rose to notoriety during the early 1990s with his debut LP Penicillin on Wax and the diss track "Fuck Compton". Tim had already appeared on songs with the Ultramagnetic MCs and went on to form a duo, Ultra, with member Kool Keith. "Fuck Compton" appeared in XXL magazine's "Top 25 Diss Tracks of All Time" and earned Tim Dog critical acclaim from progressive hip-hop producer Blockhead, who said Tim Dog's "The Dog's Gonna Getcha" (off Penicillin on Wax) is "quite possibly the hardest song ever made."[8] Nas references Tim Dog on his track "Where Are They Now?" from his 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead, and despite Tim Dog's feud with Dr. Dre, Eminem (whom Dre had discovered) name-checked him on the track "Ricky Ticky Toc".

On February 14, 2013, the media reported that Tim Dog died of complications from diabetes.[9] By May 2013, he was under investigation for allegedly faking his death to avoid charges of grand larceny, and a warrant was issued in Mississippi for his arrest.[7][10][11] However, on September 15, 2014, it was finally confirmed by NBC News that Tim Dog had indeed died on February 14, 2013, as had been initially reported. A death certificate was filed in DeKalb County, Georgia, putting an end to speculation that he was still alive and trying to avoid his court-mandated debts.[2]

  1. ^ "I GET WRECKED". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "The Mystery of Rapper Tim Dog's Death Is Solved". NBC News. 15 September 2014.
  3. ^ "The Source: R.I.P. Tim Dog". The Source. United States. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  4. ^ "Tim Dog's Death Confirmed".
  5. ^ "One Line Rhyme: Tim Dog". United Kingdom: One Line Rhyme. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  6. ^ "Tim Dog, 'F--k Compton' Rapper, Dead at 46". Rolling Stone. February 14, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
  7. ^ a b Margaret Eby, "Rapper Tim Dog slapped with arrest warrant on suspicion of faking own death," New York Daily News, May 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Blockhead Biography. ArtistDirect.com
  9. ^ Sha Be Allah, "R.I.P. Tim Dog," The Source, February 14, 2013.
  10. ^ Thurm, Eric (2013-05-22). "Rapper Tim Dog Probably Faked His Death to Avoid Paying the Women He Scammed, Has an Arrest Warrant Out". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  11. ^ Daniel Martin, "Rapper Tim Dog Accused of Faking Own Death," The Guardian, May 23, 2013.