After surviving the horrible attempt on his life Shakur still couldn't escape the troubles he faced with the law. On December 1, 1994 while still in a wheelchair Tupac was acquitted of sodomy and weapons charges but was found guilty of sexual abuse. On February 14, 1995 he was sentenced to 41/2 years and immediately began serving his time in New York Rikers Island Penitentiary. Two months later, according to Vibe magazine, Tupac renounced his "Thug Life" persona and commits himself publicly to positive works. In this same interview he spoke of starting an organization to help reach troubled youth with Mike Tyson and Monster "Saika Shakur" Cody (Author of Monster). He implicated "Biggie Smalls", "Puffy" Combs, Andre Harrell, "Stretch"(switch sides I guess his new friends wanted him dead) Walker, among others in the recording studio ambush.

In the days that Tupac spent recovering in the hospital and jail he did not receive one visit, phone call or explanation of what took place from the people present at the studio ambush. Neither Biggie Smalls, Sean "Puffy" Combs, the artist who he came to the studio to record with- Lil' Shawn nor his so-called friend Randall "Stretch" Walker took the time to visit or write Tupac in this deepest time of need. Even some of the large fan base he had left behind was beginning to forget about him. Meanwhile Biggie Smalls capitalized on this and was slowly but surely becoming the next Hip-Hop Rap King.

After a few months Shakur began to feel like no one gave a damn about him being almost assassinated and then locked up. He was beginning to ask himself was "Thug Life" really worth spending 4 1/2 years of his life locked away like a caged animal. However Tupac changed his newfound mentality when he noticed all the fame the people who wanted him out the way were receiving while he was stuck inside a jail cell. A fire began to burn within the Don's soul and mind. There was no way he would allow these cowards the pleasure of dethroning him and stealing his crown. Not even Prison could stop Tupac from plotting his revenge once he heard "Who Shot Ya!" a song written by the Late Biggie Smalls. Shakur knew his current Thug Life Soldiers were ready for whatever but would they be enough to go up against this now NEW YORK superpower?

In Tupac's heart he knew his "Thug Life" soldiers would go to war if they had to. More importantly he understood that this wasn't just any type of war. He was planning a war not to be fought with fist, guns or knives, but words. Shakur learned at an early age that the pen was mightier than the sword, and no one could express himself quite like he could. Born and raised in New York Tupac knew the war wouldn't be an easy one; he needed a team of young soldiers who could flow with a style similar to New York. However Shakur recognized he couldn't recruit New York rappers to go up against their own MC's. He would soon come up with an even better strategy. Tupac had enough of NEW YORK and its big city (of) dreams. He had already tried giving his place of birth much love and respect, which almost cost him his life. He felt it was time to reinforce his team. This new team would consist of soldiers who had a similar background as his own. These soldiers would be trained in the Art of War; a team who wouldn't be afraid of saying whatever they felt like saying.

While incarcerated at NEW YORK Clinton Correctional Facility Tupac began receiving visits from his half brother (not related by blood: his mother Yaasmyn Fula and Afeni Shakur were best friends) that also shared the same type of up bringing as he had. Tupac's half brother's mother was also a member of the Black Panthers. Shakur's half brother was none other than the late Yafeu "Kadafi" Fula. On a few occasions during visits to Tupac, Kadafi spoke about a homeboy he knew from his hometown (Montclair, NEW JERSEY) who could flow his azz off but wasn't afraid of Shit. Kadafi continued to tell Pac that his Big Homie was well known in Montclair as being a true rider. He spoke of an incident that occurred with Tupac's own cousin and childhood friend (now known to the world as Kastro and EDI). Kastro and EDI came to visit Kadafi in Montclair when they were robbed of their hats. Kadafi went to get a homeboy not many brothers wanted to mess with, to ask him to get the hats back. Once Kadafi told his homie what had happened he stepped without hesitation to the thieves and retrieved the hats back. EDI and Kastro along with Napoleon belonged to a NEW JERSEY based rap group called "Dramacydal." EDI, who is Brooklyn born, went to school with Tupac. Napoleon was introduced to Tupac by Kadafi. Shakur's heart went out to Napoleon after learning how he watched in horror the assassination of both his parents. Tupac loved the fact that Kadafi and Napoleon were not from NEW YORK, however he wondered were these four enough for what he was planning? Once Kadafi learned of Pac's plan to assemble a new rap crew, he immediately thought of his Big Homie from Montclair. He asked Pac if he could bring his friend to visit him in prison. The friend he referred to was the one and only Bruce Washington a.k.a. Hussein Fatal. When Kadafi asked Fatal if he wanted to go visit Tupac up at Clinton Correctional Facility, of course he didn't believe him. "Man get the hell out of here, you don't know no Pac," was his response. The two left it at that and it wasn't until Kadafi's mother mentioned the prison visit to Fatal that he realized it wasn't a joke. The very next day Bruce Washington was sitting across from Mackaveli the Don. Before Fatal could fully introduce himself, Pac called him by name and asked him to flow a few verses. Afterward Pac asked him if he wanted to come to California and record on his next album. Once Tupac learned of Bruce Washington's background he knew this man was a true rap soldier. The rebellious, misbehaving, death before dishonor mentality that Pac wrote about in his music was just a part of what Fatal possessed. Bruce Washington already had Outlaw written all over him.

Marion "Suge" Knight, owner of Death Row Records, posted over a million -dollar bonds for Tupac's release. Shakur signed with Death Row Records and was finally in a position to do something with his newly formed rap crew. The group Dramacydal, Kadafi, and Bruce would soon meet with Tupac in Los Angeles to begin collaborating on Pac`s album called All Eyes on Me. Now that the four rappers joined Tupac the name Dramacydal was dropped. Pac wanted to use the name LIL' HOMIES. Fatal voiced that the name LIL HOMIES made them sound like a bunch of young riders; he and Pac were around the same age, and he definitely didn't want people referring to him as a lil homie. Instead he suggested the name OUTLAWZ and Pac agreed.

Later Fatal introduced Young Noble to the OUTLAWZ after a pickup basketball game sponsored by Death Row Records. Noble was a childhood friend of Fatal's also from Montclair, N.J who moved to Los Angeles. Pac realized with the help of his younger brother & Conrad, Kadafi he had formed a team he felt would not only take over the hip-hop game but also restore him to his rightful place on the throne. Pac was beginning to love his new family. They were young, ready for whatever and each had their own story to tell. The best part of his new team was that the majority of them were not from NEW YORK (Tupac and EDI were NEW YORK born). The OUTLAWZ are mainly Jersey Ni***s who could flow with a style unlike their NEW YORK counterparts. With the help of these OUTLAW soldiers Tupac Shakur would launch a mighty verbal assault on the NEW YORK rap scene.

On June 4, 1996 only 12 days before his 25th birthday Tupac and his OUTLAWZ released "Hit 'Em Up" a brutal (verbal) assault against Biggie Smalls, Bad Boy Records, Mobb Deep and others. It was said a few well-known west coast rappers were asked to flow on this record but all refused. Hussein Fatal asked if he could be the first to flow on "Hit 'Em Up" and Tupac agreed. Hussein's verse, "Get out the way yo! Biggie Smalls just got shot..." was the first time a rapper mentioned shooting another famous artist on wax.

At times Tupac thought Kadafi and Fatal were just as crazy as he was. Like the time Fatal tried to sneak a gun in Los Angeles's House of Blues or when he saw both of them pull out and take a piss in the middle of a crowd. Still Tupac loved and respected their outlaw mentality. There were many nights Pac and Fatal stayed up all night just talking. Tupac being the teacher and Fatal the student. Fatal has said that Pac taught him the rules of the rap game. During these talks Tupac was basically schooling him on how to obtain the fame and fortune he's destined to achieve by being one of his closest soldiers. Shakur told Hussein to, "always keep it real with yourself and the team you assemble around you." Fatal and Pac's relationship grew so close when introducing Fatal to certain crews, like the Boot Camp Clique, he would introduce him as his Lieutenant.

Fatal and about a hundred of his Jersey soldiers accompanied Pac to the MTV Video Music Awards in NEW YORK where a confrontation with the rapper Nas took place. Nonetheless Hussein and Shakur weren't always on the best of terms. Some would say the two were too much alike, both stubborn and wanting his own way. Pac figured Fatal had a lot of heart when Fatal "borrowed" his Land Cruiser without his permission and then totaled it. Everyone at Death Row knew you had to be out of your mind to mess with something that belonged to Pac or Suge. People were known to catch a beat down just for smoking up Pac's weed. Pac was so mad about the truck situation that he immediately sent Fatal back to NEW JERSEY. This wasn't the first time Pac had to send Fatal or Kadafi back home for acting too crazy. In Tupac's song The First To Bust he even had a verse that said, "...sometimes I question Hussein..." Just a real and honest statement about how he felt about Fatal sometimes making the wrong decisions. After returning to NEW JERSEY Fatal knew he had really messed up this time. He got in contact with Kadafi's mother and asked her to get in touch with Pac so that he could apologize for crashing the truck. That very day Fatal received a call from his girlfriend informing him to return to California where he apologized to Pac. On September 6, 1996 Hussein had to leave California again, but this time for a court appearance on assault charges. On September 7, 1996 Fatal received the horrible news: his best friend and mentor Tupac Shakur was shot four times! After leaving the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon fight in Las Vegas, he was shot twice in the chest, once through his hand and once in his leg. Friday September 13, 1996 only 6 days after being shot, Tupac Amaru Shakur died at the Las Vegas University Medical Center intensive care unit.

Hussein Fatal said his life has never been the same. He blames himself for the shooting and feels that if he hadn't left Pac for his court appearance and went to Las Vegas maybe the outcome would have been different. One month later, Hussein was hit with more bad news. He learns that Kadafi, the one responsible for bringing the OUTLAWZ together, was shot and killed. It was said that Napoleon's cousin killed him following some verbal disagreement. The story is that Napoleon's cousin pulled out his gun and pointed it at Kadafi. Kadafi responded by showing his bulletproof vest and saying, "if you're going to kill me you have to put one in my head..." The cousin did just that.

Fatal said when Pac was assassinated he didn't want to rap anymore. Soon after, his own crew murdered Kadafi and making matters worse Suge Knight went off to jail. It's no surprise he felt like rapping was far worse and more dangerous than selling drugs. Hussein said the only reason he was in LA was because of Pac and with him gone there was no reason to stay. Therefore he left. I didn't call for money, socks, clothes or anything. Fatal states, "I just went the f*@# home back to Jersey." No matter what happened Hussein felt an obligation to respect Pac's wishes and not sign with Death Row Records. Up until that point in his life Bruce Washington was headed for a long prison term or maybe death. However fate gave him a chance to make some good out of his young confused life when the late Yuta "Kadafi" Fula introduced him to the late great Tupac Shakur. Now with both of these influences gone, Fatal felt he had no choice except to return to a life of crime. It wasn't enough he was part of recording successes such as- Hit 'Em Up, All About You, Made Ni**as, When We Ride and the hook on Hail Mary. Not even the honor, fame or monetary compensation for being an "OUTLAW" could subdue his true outlaw nature.

Following a few months of terrorizing Hussein began to miss his former life as a rapper. With the help of his ex-manager Courtney he would soon sign with Relativity Records and record his first solo album In the Line of Fire. This particular album did not sell very well and Fatal knew he did not put forth his best effort. Fatal honestly admits he was not ready to become a solo artist. Nevertheless with Tupac's untimely death and the remaining Outlawz signed with Death Row, he just didn't have a choice. Hussein said that Pac specifically told all of his Outlawz not to sign with Death Row as he planned for his own label. Fatal later became unhappy with Relativity Records and signed with Rap-A-Lot Records where he began recording is second album Death Before Dishonor. Before he could release this album Bruce Washington was arrested in Newark, NJ. Court records show as a juvenile Washington a.k.a. Fatal was arrested a total of 24 times between 1987 and 1989. He pled guilty to four charges, including trespassing, robbery and assault. As an adult Hussein was arrested a total of twenty times.

In December 1999 Fatal was arrested at the Robert Treat Hotel downtown Newark, NJ. Washington was being sorted by the Orange Police Department in NJ for assault. On July 12, 1997 Orange Police responded in the area of 220 Main Street to a report of assault. One of the victims stated that he went to the store to get some food when a fight broke out. He stated that Bruce proceeded to pull out a box cutter and slashed his stomach and face. The second victim was slashed in the arm and chest area; this victim needed 64 stitches to close the wounds. Bruce was positively identified by the victim and arrested on these accusations and later charged with aggravated assault in the third and fourth degree. Washington did not return to court after making bail. Upon his apprehension another warrant for bail jumping and failure to appear were served. However, Hussein Fatal was able to elude capture for well over three years while out on bail. He was arrested an additional five times adding eleven extra charges while out on bail. Each time he was arrested he managed to post bail using a different bondsman. On May 15, 2001 Bruce Washington was released to a NJ halfway house. Upon his release he will drop his second solo album, which is dedicated to the memory of Tupac Shakur. Before his incarceration in December 1999 Hussein managed to record over 40 songs while on the run. His album unites all six Outlawz for the first time since Tupac's death with guest appearances by Scarface, Lil' Mo, Ja Rule and the newest Outlaw member Newchild (son of former drug king-pin and NY street ball legend Pee Wee Kirkland). Fatal is ready to continue what Tupac started. Hussein said after being locked up for close to two years of his life, his views have changed about many things. He feels he is ready to do whatever it takes to keep Pac's spirit and legacy alive. Fatal's final comment to me was, "LET NO MAN SEPARATE WHAT WE CREATE."

Written By: Tim Ashley

The layout, text and images on this website are Copyright © 2000 - 2004