INGLEWOOD — M-Bone of the rap group Cali Swag District, which scored a hit last year with the song “Teach Me How to Dougie,” was killed in a weekend drive-by shooting as he sat in a car outside a liquor store, police said Monday.
The 22-year-old Inglewood man, whose real name is Mante Ray Talbert, was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
“Another car pulled alongside, gunshots were fired, and the victim was struck twice in the head,” Lieutenant James Madia said. A man sitting in the passenger seat of Talbert’s car was not injured, Lt. Gabriel Garcia said.
“Another car pulled alongside, gunshots were fired, and the victim was struck twice in the head,” Lt. James Madia said.
Talbert was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Lt. Steve Overly said the motive for the attack was under investigation. Several theories had been put forward on social media sites and detectives were following up on some of these to see if they were credible, he said.
Talbert was “the victim of a random act of violence,” Cali Swag District’s publicist Greg Miller said in a statement.
“He was a hardworking, passionate artist and dancer that will be deeply missed,” Miller said.
Witnesses gave varying descriptions of the fleeing car, Madia said.
Bandmate C-Smoove tweeted Monday that his life changed drastically in the blink of an eye, and added “rip mbone.”
“He was the life of the group,” C-Smoove told KABC-TV as he wiped away tears with his shirt. “He made us laugh, he was the energy.”
Dozens of friends, fans and family members gathered outside the liquor store Monday evening and held a vigil for Talbert.
Cali Swag District’s hit “Teach Me How to Dougie” is based on the “Dougie” dance, which first appeared in Texas and is noted for its leaning stances, shoulder and arm movements.
The dance was not only performed in dance clubs and the streets but by celebrities as well, from CNN news anchor Wolf Blitzer to Washington Wizards basketball star John Wall; even first lady Michelle Obama recently performed the dance as part of her “Let’s Move” initiative to counter childhood obesity.
“Teach Me How to Dougie” spent several months in the top 10 of Billboard’s hot rap songs. The group also performed the dance on several television shows.