Tim Dog

Timothy J. Blair (January 3, 1967 – February 14, 2013), better known by his stage name Tim Dog, was an American rapper from the Bronx, New York City, who rose to notoriety during the early 1990s with his debut LP Penicillin on Wax and the diss track "Fuck Compton". Tim had already appeared on songs with the Ultramagnetic MCs and went on to form a duo, Ultra, with member Kool Keith. "Fuck Compton" appeared in XXL magazine's "Top 25 Diss Tracks of All Time" and earned Tim Dog critical acclaim from progressive hip-hop producer Blockhead, who said Tim Dog's "The Dog's Gonna Getcha" (off Penicillin on Wax) is "quite possibly the hardest song ever made." Nas references Tim Dog on his track "Where Are They Now?" from his 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead, and despite Tim Dog's feud with Dr. Dre, Eminem (whom Dre had discovered) name-checked him on the track "Ricky Ticky Toc".

On February 14, 2013, the media reported that Tim Dog died of complications from diabetes. By May 2013, he was under investigation for allegedly faking his death to avoid charges of grand larceny, and a warrant was issued in Mississippi for his arrest. However, on September 15, 2014, it was finally confirmed by NBC News that Tim Dog had indeed died on February 14, 2013, as had been initially reported. A death certificate was filed in DeKalb County, Georgia, putting an end to speculation that he was still alive and trying to avoid his court-mandated debts. Previously, he was the CEO President of Big Xity Entertainment based in New York and BMC Management based in Atlanta.

Legal issues and death In 2011, Tim Dog pleaded guilty to grand larceny for conning a woman, Esther Pilgrim, out of $32,000 in an online dating scam. He was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to pay restitution of $19,000 to Pilgrim. The case was featured on the June 15, 2012, episode of Dateline NBC, which clarified that it was a best interest plea (Alford plea) to theft.

Tim Dog reportedly died of complications from diabetes on February 14, 2013. However, the funeral was canceled and no death certificate or autopsy existed. His family also stayed away from the media claiming religious reasons as a justification for their shunning of the press and wanting to mourn in private. After Pilgrim alleged in May 2013 that Tim Dog's "reported death" may have been a scheme by Tim Dog to avoid payments to her, she came public demanding further investigation about his death. A warrant was issued in Mississippi for his arrest in case he was still alive.

On September 15, 2014, it was finally confirmed by NBC News that Tim Dog had indeed died on February 14, 2013, as had been initially reported. A death certificate was filed in Dekalb County, Georgia, putting an end to speculation that he was still alive and trying to avoid his court-mandated debts.

Discography 1991: Penicillin on Wax 1993: Do or Die 1994: Bitch with a Perm (EP) 1996: Big Time (with Kool Keith as Ultra) 2003: Immortal 2006: BX Warrior 2009: Project X: Iconic (with Kool Keith)