Edgar Givens

At just 18 years old, Edgar Givens was a pioneering artist in the burgeoning New Orleans bounce music scene, known professionally as Pimp Daddy. A hometown hero and one of the first artists signed to the fledgling Cash Money Records, he was helping to define the sound of a genre with tracks like his local hit, "Got 2 Be Real." His 1994 debut album, *Still Pimpin'*, showcased a charismatic flow that made him a standout talent with a promising future. Beyond his music, Givens had a son, Darrol Woods, with fellow bounce artist Angela "Cheeky Blakk" Woods. Their relationship was a dynamic part of their public personas, marked by a famous lyrical rivalry that saw them trade diss tracks before performing them together.

The early morning hours of April 18, 1994, brought a violent end to Givens' rising career. Around 5:30 a.m., New Orleans police officers responded to a call about an aggravated battery at an apartment in the Florida Projects on Florida Avenue. On the third floor, they found the apartment door partially open. Inside, they discovered the young Black man seated upright on a sofa, his arms folded and his head back. Edgar Givens had been shot multiple times in the head at point-blank range and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation quickly led police to a suspect, Rodney Temple. The motive was believed to have stemmed from a dispute over a woman. According to some reports, Givens was in an argument with the brother of his girlfriend, Ms. Tee, another Cash Money artist, which escalated into the fatal shooting. Temple was arrested, and on June 2, 1994, a grand jury indicted him for the second-degree murder of Edgar Givens. Later that month, Temple entered a plea of not guilty.

Following the indictment, the case moved through the court system. On April 22, 1996, after a jury trial, Rodney Temple was found guilty as charged for the murder of Pimp Daddy. The court handed down a mandatory sentence of life in prison at hard labor, without the possibility of probation, parole, or a suspended sentence. The conviction and sentence brought a legal conclusion to the case, ensuring the man responsible for silencing a vibrant young voice would be held accountable.

Though his life was cut short, Pimp Daddy's influence on New Orleans hip-hop endured. He was one of the original artists who helped build the foundation of Cash Money Records before its rise to national prominence. His style was so influential that a young Dwayne Carter, who would later become the superstar Lil Wayne, initially called himself "Shrimp Daddy" and emulated Givens' musical delivery. In 1996, Cash Money released his posthumous album, *Pimp'n Ain't E-Z*, further cementing his legacy.

His former partner and the mother of his child, Cheeky Blakk, went on to have a long and respected career in bounce music, often cited as a pioneer herself. Their son, Darrol "Lil' Pimp" Woods, also became involved in the music scene. Tragically, Darrol passed away in 2023. While the case of Edgar Givens' murder is legally closed, his death remains a profound loss for the New Orleans music community, a stark reminder of a life and talent extinguished far too soon.