This man was once a dragon. The fire in his voice, before that voice was destroyed, once made him the most talked about artist in rap music. His debut album, released well over 10 years ago, held the distinction of being heralded as a classic by both the streets and the recording industry. The force of his writing in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s irrevocably changed hip-hop music and revolutionized West Coast Rap.

This man was not the sole force behind all of this, but if you listen closely to his tale, you can hear the strands of a story untold: A story about money and tragedy, absolution, and faith. A lot of it is hip-hop’s story, but mostly it’s a story about a man who was given fire and drowned himself in the flames.