New York City rapper Tim Dog is accused of faking his own death to avoid paying off his debts, according to reports on Wednesday.
Tim Dog, born Timothy Blair in the Bronx and had some minor hits in the 1990s, reportedly died in February of complications due to diabetes.
“I need proof,” a prosecutor in Mississippi, Steven Jubera, WREG-TV in Memphis. “I need a death certificate showing that he’s dead, because as far as I’m concerned, he’s alive.”
In 2011, Blair was convicting of stealing from a woman but he died two years later.
“I believe he was so angry that he had to pay me back,” Esther Pilgrim told the station. Pilgrim said she lost money to him after she met him on a dating website.
“Nobody said where he died, nobody said where he was buried, which is very odd for an obituary,” Jubera said.
Tim Dog, who collaborated with rappers including Kool Keith, is possibly most famous for his track insulting city of Compton.
According to HipHopDX.com, Kool Keith said that he thought Tim Dog’s death was a hoax.
“Tonight, I really thought it was a publicity stunt. It still hasn’t [sunk] in my system,” he said at a show in February. “I don’t know. I still can’t believe this happened. Once I get with the group, we’ll all really feel it more.”
Keith added: “I’m just doing my condolences, but I still can’t believe,” said Keith during the moment of silence. “I’m still thinking this is a stunt, ‘cause Tim was usually good with stunts. But like you said, it’s real, and I understand his health conditions and stuff like that.”
