The MC Bugz (born Karnail Paul Pitts on January 5, 1978) was a highly regarded rapper in Detroit and an early member of the group D12 (Dirty Dozen) along with Proof (shot to death on April 11, 2006). Bugz, also known on stage as "Robert Beck," had just turned 21 and his future in the rap world looked bright. D12 had recently signed with Eminem's label Shady Records and a debut EP was in the works. On the evening of May 21, 1999, the group was set to perform in Grand Rapids, Michigan as part of the Eminem tour when the promising talent because just another victim in rap's bloody history. That afternoon, Bugz, his cousin, and a female friend were picnicking on Detroit's Belle Island when a man sprayed the woman with a high powered water gun. She took offense, angry words were exchanged, and a fistfight broke out. Bugz sought to intervene and a friend of the man with the water gun drew a rifle from a Ford Expedition and shot the rapper three times at close range, striking him in the neck and chest. The assailants drove over Bugz as they fled the scene. An ambulance was called, but due to heavy traffic on the bridge to Belle Island it took thirty minutes to reach the badly wounded MC. Bugz died without regaining consciousness in a nearby hospital. The deadly incident, captured on the park's security video and shown on local news, generated no leads and to date no one has been prosecuted for the murder. Thanks to D12, material unreleased at the time of the young rapper's death was made available on These Streets EP. The group's members and Eminem have "Bugz" tattooed on their wrists in remembrance of their fallen friend. In the 2004 album, D12 World, the songs "Bugz 97" and "Good Die Young" honor his memory.
From what I heard about this case, the guy who sprayed Bugz's lady friend with the water gun was known to do shit like that all the time. It wasn't the first time he had done something like this. Days earlier, he pranked an officer with the old-fashioned "Pissing In The Park" prank where you take a water bottle, place it between your legs, and then when somebody's not looking, you dump it all out like you're gonna piss. He also pulled a prank with a blank-firing gun where he had his friend stand under a tree and then pretended to shoot the friend dead. Apparently, on the night of May 21, 1999, Bugz and his "homies" were partying outside of a club when who shows up? That's right. Our good ol' buddy Dickhead. Dickhead pulled out a metallic water gun and sprayed this chick with it. The chick was annoyed at the fact that Joker Boy, or Dickhead, was spraying her with water. She told him several times to stop, but Dickhead wouldn't listen. Then, her cousin chimed in and said, "Hey yo man, quit dat." But he didn't quit. The cousin told him again. "Hey yo, I said quit dat shit!" Then, the dickhead tried to spray him. And that's when dude punched him. '"Oh it's on now, playa" was all they heard the man say. All of a sudden, Bugz stepped in and yelled, "Hey yo, whatchu hit my guy for?" Dickhead turned to Bugz and said, "Oh, you want some too?" Bugz then shoved Dickhead and that's when Dickhead shoved him back. Bugz was then heard saying, "Look muthafucka, I ain't da one." Dickhead could be heard saying, "Try me, fool". Bugz then pulled a .9 mm handgun from his waistband but before he could fire, Dickhead's friend, Bastard, sprayed him full of lead with an AK-47, striking him in the neck and chest. Bugz was said to have died instantly. May they both rot in Hell. RIP Bugz. The good do indeed die young.
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