Denver rapper Kevie Durham, known as KL Tha General died Sunday morning after being shot in the chest following a disagreement at a North Federal Boulevard bar. He was 24. His death has been ruled as a homicide. Photo courtesy of the artist’s Facebook Page.
Kevie Durham, aka rapper , could sell a CD to anyone.
“He had a speech that was out of this world,” said his friend and partner Adonis Williams. “He would go up to people and say ‘hey you support music?’ Then he would give this crazy speech that would get anyone to buy what he was into.
“Before he even went downtown he would look at me and go, ‘I’m about to make $40 selling CDs.’ And he would.”
Such single-mindedness defined Durham’s busy career since he began making music in the Denver hip-hop scene less than a decade ago. In that time he became known for his commitment to his art and for his support of his city.
“He was dedicated 100 percent to music. All he did was write music all day with his headphones on. There was nothing else,” said Williams, who worked with Durham promoting shows in the city for Town Runners.
Durham, 24, following a disagreement at a North Federal Boulevard bar. He was 24. His death has been ruled as a homicide. Denver Police said three males and two females were hit when multiple shots were fired outside of The Beach nightclub on Sunday morning. Police were notified around 2 a.m. No arrests have been made and the investigation is still ongoing. (Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact the department.)
Denver Police Spokesmen Ron Hackett said there was a large fight at The Beach before the shooting began, but it was not clear if Durham was involved. There have been other disturbances in the area surrounding The Beach in the past, he said.
In the year before his death, Durham’s career had started to gain traction locally. A number of his songs were getting regular play in Denver clubs and he was beginning to buzz throughout the hip-hop scene.
“He was definitely one of the most prominent voices of Northeast Denver working his way to the top,” said DJ Ktone (Kamau Martinez), who would play Durham’s music regularly at Club Vinyl, Brick House and Over There Off Hampden. “Everybody on the underground scene and club scene knows about him, because they play him every week.”
Most recently, Durham’s contribution to the — a collaborative effort among Denver hip-hop artists — began gaining traction in the scene. Since Durham recorded his track two months ago, it got regular play in clubs.
“A lot of people who didn’t know him respected him after that,” Martinez said. “He was just about to do some big things in the scene. “He was really young in his career. He was working his way up to being one of the main prominent names in the city.”
Another one of Durham’s tracks, “B-Wordz,” was making the rounds in Denver and has been played thousands of times on Soundcloud since its release a year ago.
But, above all, his friends remember him as a calm and friendly person — not the type to be involved with violence.
“He was a real humble, respectful young man. He was real laid back. He wasn’t rowdy or anything,” Martinez said. “All he did and talked about was music. He was real passionate about his music and getting better and what he could do better. He just wanted to be the best artist he could be.”
In the days since his death, has been flooded with photos, poems, condolences, music and memories from friends, fans and family.
Durham’s friends and family have
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