There's been plenty of controversy in hip-hop, but the latest revelations about Eugene "Big U" Henley have reverberated far outside the music scene. Newly unsealed court documents in Los Angeles on March 19 reveal chilling wiretap recordings that show Big U candidly bragging about his violent past and his control over the streets. Now, facing dire federal racketeering charges, the former community leader is on the run, and the authorities are calling him a fugitive from justice.
Federal authorities have outlined a damning portrait of Big U as the leader of a criminal enterprise involved in murder, extortion, fraud, and even human trafficking. The 58-year-old, a pillar of South L.A.'s rap scene and a former top general in the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips is accused of using his street cred to operate a mafia-style enterprise known as "Big U Enterprise."
The FBI intercepted many phone calls, which are now key evidence in their case, after launching an investigation in 2021. In one particularly chilling call from 2023, Big U had no tolerance for ambiguity: "Can't no n#### beef with me, n####. Why you doin the look if he do, I'm a kill him. Period. I. Am. Going. To. Murder. Him."
A later intercept, which began on December 31, 2022, showed Big U reminding others why he was so feared. "If I had a problem with any man, color, creed, king, or kind, it would've been solved and he wouldn't be here, or I wouldn't be here."
And despite assertions that he had left the street life behind, a wiretap obtained in April of 2023 indicated otherwise. "I'm retired, n####? Activist? "I'll pull up on your block right now, n####, and bring out and bring out." These recordings, prosecutors say, show that Big U never really left the streets behind.
One of the most unsettling allegations involves the execution-style murder of an aspiring rapper, known only as "R.W.," in January 2021. Big U, who was reportedly the inspiration behind the character in the 1991 film Colors Port, rayed gang life in Los Angeles and shot the young artist in the face in Las Vegas after a rapper disrespected him in a song, according to the court documents. Authorities say this was only one example of the ruthless tactics he used to keep control.
The prosecution also accuses Big U of defrauding donors to his nonprofit organization, Developing Options, in addition to the violence. Intended to supply young people with anti-gang programs, the charity was said to have been a vehicle for personal gain. Officials say that celebrities and playing-by-the-rules N.B.A. players unwittingly siphoned cash directly into Big U's bank accounts.
Two alleged co-conspirators, Sylvester "Vey" Robinson and Mark "Bear Claw" Martin, were arrested, but Big U is still on the loose. As of March 19, federal authorities have not been able to find him, and he is now considered a fugitive.
For years, Big U straddled the line between street legend and community leader. But now, with damning wiretaps and a federal case closing in, his empire seems to be collapsing. Just one question remains: where is Big U?
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