Bushwick Bill Biography

Bushwick Bill (Richard Stephen Shaw) was an American-Jamaican rapper best known as a member of the pioneering Texas hip-hop group Geto Boys, a group he originally joined as a dancer in 1986 as Little Billy.

Bushwick went on to become one-third of the best-known incarnation of the group, alongside Willie D and Scarface.

Bushwick Bill Age

Bushwick was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on December 1, 1966. At the time of his death on June 9, 2019, Bill was 52 years old.

Bushwick Bill Height

Bushwick was born with dwarfism and was listed as 3 feet 8 inches tall (1.12 m).

Bushwick Bill Family

Bill was the son of Rollin Shaw who was a merchant marine, and Deloris Shaw (mother died in 2015) who was a maid.

Bushwick Bill Wife

Bushwick was married and had four children including Javon Boutte.

Bushwick Bill Kids

Bill was blessed with four children, Javon Boutte included.

Bushwick Bill Net Worth

The American rap artist had a net worth of $1.5 million dollars which he had earned from his career as a rapper.

Bushwick Bill Salary

He earned an estimated salary of about $50k to $100k annually.

Bushwick Bill Education

According to a source from the Houston Chronicle, Bushwick was a high school dropout, and read at the fourth-grade level. He had failed a majority of courses in his freshman year in high school. Like actors Billy Barty and Herve Villechaize, Bushwick was a dwarf. His stage name came from the Brooklyn district that he lived in.

Bushwick Bill Career – Bushwick Bill Geto Boys

Bushwick got his start in the music industry in 1986 as a member of the Geto Boys, where he performed as a dancer known as Little Billy. Shaw later transitioned to rapping and was featured on the Geto Boys’ debut album, Making Trouble in 1988.

The album received little attention and negative reviews, which led to Rap-A-Lot dropping all members from the group except for Bill and DJ Ready Red. Soon after, Rap-A-Lot CEO J. Prince recruited Willie Dee and Scarface, two local aspiring artists out of Texas as the second incarnation of the group

The new lineup began recording together in 1988 and their debut project as a group and second overall for the Geto Boys, Grip It! On That Other Level was released in 1989 to a much better reception, being considered a classic album and one of the earliest entries into the Horrorcore genre.

Bill can be heard on the album The Chronic by Dr. Dre; he appears in the video of “Dre Day” as one of Eazy-E’s fellow rappers. Bushwick’s 1998 album No Surrender…No Retreat was dedicated to his friend Gil Epstein, a Fort Bend County prosecutor who was shot dead in Houston, Texas, in 1996.

In June 2013, he toured with the Geto Boys and was finishing an album, which was projected to be released later that year.

Bushwick Bill Accident – Bushwick Bill Gun Shot/ Eye

In the summer of 1991, Bushwick shot himself in the eye during an argument with his girlfriend, losing his right eye in the process while under the influence of Everclear grain alcohol and PCP.

The aftermath of the incident was documented on the album cover of Geto Boys’ 1991 album We Can’t Be Stopped, which shows Bill being pushed through the hospital on a gurney by bandmates Willie D and Scarface. Bushwick claims he “died and came back to life” during the incident, and has made reference to it in his music.

Bushwick Bill Arrest

In May 2010, Bushwick was arrested in Georgia for possession of marijuana and cocaine. Based on his prior arrest record, he was facing deportation.

Bushwick Bill Cancer

On May 1, 2019, Bushwick revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Bushwick Bill Death

On June 9, 2019, it was announced that he had died, but news of his death was later refuted by his son. Later that night, at 9:35 PM, his publicist confirmed his eventual passing.

Bushwick Bill Not Dead – Bushwick Bill Hospitalized

On June 9, 2019, Bill’s publicist said that he was “still alive and fighting cancer” in a hospital. His publicist had said she spoke to hospital staff to confirm and said some of Bill’s family members are by his hospital bedside. Later that night, at 9:35 PM, his publicist confirmed his eventual passing.

Bushwick Bill Album

• Little Big Man
• Phantom of the Rapra
• No Surrender…No Retreat
• Universal Small Souljah
• Gutta Mixx
• My Testimony of Redemption

Bushwick Bill Songs

• Mind Playing Tricks on Me
• Ever So Clear
• Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta
• G.E.T.O.
• Chuckwick
• Who’s The Biggest
• Call Me Crazy
• Only God Knows
• When It Get’s Gangsta
• Skitso
• G Code
• First Light of the Day
• Wha Cha Gonna Do?
• Copper to Cash
• Dollars and Sense
• Geto Boys & Girls
• Time Taker
• Stop Lying
• Still
• Times Is Hard
• The Secret
• Yes, Yes, Y’all
• Don’t Come to Big
• Gangsta of Love
• Mind of a Lunatic
• Letter From KKK
• Take Em’ Off
• Straight Gangstaism
• The Bushwicken
• Already Dead
• Six Feet Deep
• Ex-Girlfriend