Big Lurch
Encyclopedia
Antron Singleton better known by his stage name
Big Lurch, is an American rapper. He is serving a life sentence for murdering 21-year-old female roommate Tynisha Ysais and eating parts of her body
while under the influence of PCP
in April 2002.
During his music career, Singleton worked with such Bay Area rappers as Luni Coleone, Too Short, Mac Dre
, RBL Posse
, C-Bo
, E-40
, Keak Da Sneak
, Yukmouth
, E-A-Ski
and New Orleans-based rapper Mystikal
, TQ
, DJ U-Neek
, Texas' Lil Keke, and Big Bone. He was also a member of the group Cosmic Slop Shop
along with fellow members Doonie Baby and Rick Rock
.
, Texas
, Singleton grew up nearby in north Dallas
, Texas
. At 7 years old, he began writing poetry. He decided to pursue a career in rapping
, and began performing in 1990. In his early rap years, Singleton rapped under the name G-Spade, but later changed his name to Big Lurch after earning that nickname from his peers.
. After being released from the hospital, he had trouble walking and was still in pain, Singleton admitted, in Rhyme And Punishment, that he began using PCP
to ease the pain.
, California
, apartment. Her boyfriend Thomas Moore testified that he and Singleton spent the evening prior to the murder smoking PCP
.
The victim was found in her apartment by a friend. Her chest had been torn open and a three-inch blade was found broken off in her shoulder blade. Tooth marks were found on her face and on her lungs, which had been torn from her chest. An eyewitness reported that, when Singleton was picked up by police, he was naked, covered in blood, standing in the middle of the street and screaming at the sky. A medical examination performed shortly after his capture found human flesh in his stomach that was not his own.
On November 7, 2003, Singleton was sentenced to life in prison. He had been convicted of murder and aggravated mayhem the previous June after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity at the time of the murder. The court ruled that his intoxication and claimed insanity were not satisfactory reasons for committing the crime, after a court appointed psychiatrist had evaluated Singleton and reported had no medical belief to be insane, or of unsound mind. Some evidence casts doubt on whether Big Lurch actually committed the murder, according to the 2011 documentary Rhyme and Punishment. Particularly, a bloody hand print on a scooter used to inflict blunt trauma to the back of the victim's head did not match his prints. Additionally, what is believed to be the murderer's DNA at the scene did not match Lurch's own. Currently, it is not known whether he will ever be eligible for parole.
In 2004, Stress Free Ent. and Black Market Records released a solo LP on behalf of Singleton, It's All Bad
. Features included Killa Tay
, C-Bo
, Lil Keke, Roger Troutman II and Too $hort.
Ysais' mother, Carolyn Stinson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Black Market Records, Singleton's record label. The label, in similar fashion, has put out albums for X-Raided
while he was awaiting trial and eventually convicted of murder (Xorcist
, Unforgiven, Vol. 1, etc.). The suit charged that the label had provided Singleton with drugs "to encourage [him] to act out in an extreme violent manner so as to make him more marketable as a 'gangsta rap
' artist." "Part of what makes a Gangsta Rap artist marketable is the fact that the artist is a current ongoing participant in violent gang activities," the lawsuit said.
He is currently serving his life sentence at California State Prison, Los Angeles County
in Lancaster, California
. He has spent the last 4 of 5 years in solitary confinement. He was recently transferred to California State Prison, Sacramento
(SAC).
Big Lurch was recently featured in the film Rhyme and Punishment a 2011 documentary that chronicles hip-hop artists who have been incarcerated. In the film Lurch talks about his conviction and time in prison.
Singleton recently released an EP titled, "Lord Have Mercy!" while serving his sentence.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Big Lurch, is an American rapper. He is serving a life sentence for murdering 21-year-old female roommate Tynisha Ysais and eating parts of her body
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
while under the influence of PCP
Phencyclidine
Phencyclidine , commonly initialized as PCP and known colloquially as angel dust, is a recreational dissociative drug...
in April 2002.
During his music career, Singleton worked with such Bay Area rappers as Luni Coleone, Too Short, Mac Dre
Mac Dre
Andre Hicks , better known by his stage name Mac Dre, was an American rapper.-Biography:Andre Hicks was born in Oakland, California but moved to Vallejo while still a child...
, RBL Posse
RBL Posse
RBL Posse was a 1990s gangsta rap group from Hunters Point in San Francisco, California.-History:Formed in 1991 by Black C and Mr. Cee . Their first release, the self-produced "Don't Give Me No Bammer" came out on In-a-Minute Records and made the Billboard magazine Hot Rap Singles chart, peaking...
, C-Bo
C-Bo
Shawn Thomas, better known by his stage name C-Bo is an American rapper. He was born and raised in the south area of Sacramento, California. He has sold over 3.5 million albums independently since 1993...
, E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
, Keak Da Sneak
Keak Da Sneak
Charles Toby Bowens , commonly known by his stage name Keak da Sneak, is a rapper from Oakland, California . At the age of 16 he was known as Z-Kush but became known as "Keak da Sneak" at 17, best known for his scratchy, gruff rapping voice and coining the term "hyphy" in 1994.-Career:Keak da Sneak...
, Yukmouth
Yukmouth
Jerold Dwight Ellis, III, better known by his stage name Yukmouth, is a Grammy-nominated American rapper from East Oakland, Oakland, California. He is the founder of The Regime, Smoke-A-Lot Records and Godzilla Entertainment.-Career:He is a member of the platinum-selling rap duo Luniz along with...
, E-A-Ski
E-A-Ski
Shon Adams, better known by his stage name E-A-Ski, is an American rapper and producer from Oakland, California. In the early 1990s he was signed to Master P's No Limit Records, when it was based in Richmond, California. He served as both a rapper and producer for the label, producing on Master...
and New Orleans-based rapper Mystikal
Mystikal
Michael Lawrence Tyler , better known by his stage name Mystikal, is an American rapper, and actor from New Orleans.-1993-1994: Early career:...
, TQ
TQ
TQ or tq may stand for:* the IATA code for Tandem Aero airline* TQ Digital Entertainment, a Chinese computer game developer* Techniquest, a collection of science and discovery centres in Wales* TQ , Terrance Quaites, an American R&B singer...
, DJ U-Neek
DJ U-Neek
Tim Middleton is an American record producer. DJ U-Neek is the record producer behind the success of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, earning a Grammy Award for his work on the group's hit song, "Tha Crossroads"...
, Texas' Lil Keke, and Big Bone. He was also a member of the group Cosmic Slop Shop
Cosmic Slop Shop
Cosmic Slop Shop was an American rap group from Oakland, California. "Sinful", a song from their only album Da Family, was a minor hit in 1998.-History:...
along with fellow members Doonie Baby and Rick Rock
Rick Rock
Rick Rock is a hip-hop music producer from the Bay Area.-Albums with Rick Rock production:*1996: All Eyez on Me by 2Pac*1996: Tha Hall of Game by E-40*1996: Seasoned Veteran by Richie Rich...
.
Early life
Born in DallasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Singleton grew up nearby in north Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. At 7 years old, he began writing poetry. He decided to pursue a career in rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, and began performing in 1990. In his early rap years, Singleton rapped under the name G-Spade, but later changed his name to Big Lurch after earning that nickname from his peers.
Prior to murder
In 2000, on September 16, one day after his 24 birthday, Singleton was driving his car when a drunk driver hit him resulting in his neck being broken. While in the hospital, he was heavily on medication, and while on medication he wrote one of his songs, Texas Boy, for his album, It's All BadIt's All Bad
It's All Bad is the first and only solo album released by rapper Big Lurch. It was released through Black Market Records on March 16, 2004, just over four months after Big Lurch was sentenced to life in prison for murder, after killing a female acquaintance and eating parts of her flesh while under...
. After being released from the hospital, he had trouble walking and was still in pain, Singleton admitted, in Rhyme And Punishment, that he began using PCP
Phencyclidine
Phencyclidine , commonly initialized as PCP and known colloquially as angel dust, is a recreational dissociative drug...
to ease the pain.
Murder and lawsuit
On April 10, 2002, 25-year-old Singleton murdered Tynisha Ysais in her Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, apartment. Her boyfriend Thomas Moore testified that he and Singleton spent the evening prior to the murder smoking PCP
Phencyclidine
Phencyclidine , commonly initialized as PCP and known colloquially as angel dust, is a recreational dissociative drug...
.
The victim was found in her apartment by a friend. Her chest had been torn open and a three-inch blade was found broken off in her shoulder blade. Tooth marks were found on her face and on her lungs, which had been torn from her chest. An eyewitness reported that, when Singleton was picked up by police, he was naked, covered in blood, standing in the middle of the street and screaming at the sky. A medical examination performed shortly after his capture found human flesh in his stomach that was not his own.
On November 7, 2003, Singleton was sentenced to life in prison. He had been convicted of murder and aggravated mayhem the previous June after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity at the time of the murder. The court ruled that his intoxication and claimed insanity were not satisfactory reasons for committing the crime, after a court appointed psychiatrist had evaluated Singleton and reported had no medical belief to be insane, or of unsound mind. Some evidence casts doubt on whether Big Lurch actually committed the murder, according to the 2011 documentary Rhyme and Punishment. Particularly, a bloody hand print on a scooter used to inflict blunt trauma to the back of the victim's head did not match his prints. Additionally, what is believed to be the murderer's DNA at the scene did not match Lurch's own. Currently, it is not known whether he will ever be eligible for parole.
In 2004, Stress Free Ent. and Black Market Records released a solo LP on behalf of Singleton, It's All Bad
It's All Bad
It's All Bad is the first and only solo album released by rapper Big Lurch. It was released through Black Market Records on March 16, 2004, just over four months after Big Lurch was sentenced to life in prison for murder, after killing a female acquaintance and eating parts of her flesh while under...
. Features included Killa Tay
Killa Tay
Killa Tay is an American rapper from Fresno, California.-Biography:Born in Washington, D.C., he moved to Fresno while in his youth. Killa Tay is best known for his tenure on AWOL Records, including his collaborations with C-Bo, as well as his debut album, Mr...
, C-Bo
C-Bo
Shawn Thomas, better known by his stage name C-Bo is an American rapper. He was born and raised in the south area of Sacramento, California. He has sold over 3.5 million albums independently since 1993...
, Lil Keke, Roger Troutman II and Too $hort.
Ysais' mother, Carolyn Stinson, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Black Market Records, Singleton's record label. The label, in similar fashion, has put out albums for X-Raided
X-Raided
Anerae Veshaughn Brown, better known as X-Raided, is an American rapper, and Garden Blocc Crip gang member. He is currently incarcerated for first degree murder, also for gang-related murder homicide.-Biography:...
while he was awaiting trial and eventually convicted of murder (Xorcist
Xorcist (album)
Xorcist is the second album by rapper X-Raided. It was released on December 12, 1995 for Black Markert Records and featured production from X-Raided, Ill and Sicx...
, Unforgiven, Vol. 1, etc.). The suit charged that the label had provided Singleton with drugs "to encourage [him] to act out in an extreme violent manner so as to make him more marketable as a 'gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
' artist." "Part of what makes a Gangsta Rap artist marketable is the fact that the artist is a current ongoing participant in violent gang activities," the lawsuit said.
He is currently serving his life sentence at California State Prison, Los Angeles County
California State Prison, Los Angeles County
California State Prison, Los Angeles County is a male-only state prison located in the city of Lancaster, in Los Angeles County, California. The first and only state prison located in the county, it is also referenced as Los Angeles County State Prison, CSP-Los Angeles County...
in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
. He has spent the last 4 of 5 years in solitary confinement. He was recently transferred to California State Prison, Sacramento
California State Prison, Sacramento
California State Prison, Sacramento is a male-only state prison located in the city of Folsom, in Sacramento County, California. The facility is also referenced as Sacramento State Prison, CSP-Sacramento, CSP-SAC, and occasionally, New Folsom or New Folsom Prison which was its official name prior...
(SAC).
Big Lurch was recently featured in the film Rhyme and Punishment a 2011 documentary that chronicles hip-hop artists who have been incarcerated. In the film Lurch talks about his conviction and time in prison.
Singleton recently released an EP titled, "Lord Have Mercy!" while serving his sentence.