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Chaka Zulu (real name Ahmed Obafemi) has been charged with murder, aggravated assault, simple battery, and more, CNN reports. Obafemi is best known as Ludacris’ longtime manager and business partner.
The charges filed against Obafemi follow an alleged shooting in June at Atlanta's APT 4B restaurant, leaving three men injured. One of the victims, 23-year-old Artez Jamil Benton died in hospital. Obafemi was named as a suspect and handed himself over to officials on September 13 before posting $200,000 bail. He was arrested on charges of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and simple battery. The police incident report does not list a possible motive for the shooting.
In a statement shared on Instagram over the weekend (September 17), Obafemi's legal team claim that he acted in self-defense.
“In an attempt to save his life, Mr. Zulu lawfully discharged his weapon in self-defense, a weapon that he was licensed to carry. Mr. Zulu fully cooperated with law enforcement officials and their investigation, and voluntarily turned himself in once he learned of the arrest warrants,” the statement reads. “Mr. Zulu remains confident that his name will be cleared of these charges through the judicial process. It is not lost on Mr. Zulu that someone lost his life, but had Mr. Zulu not lawfully defended himself, Mr. Zulu would have been killed that night.”
Ahmed Obafemi started Disturbing Tha Peace Records in 1998 alongside his brother Jeff Dixon and Ludacris. The label has released much of Ludacris’ music, including the Grammy-winning 2006 album Release Therapy.