Hussein Fatal

Member of the Outlawz and collaborator with Tupac Shakur.

Bruce Edward Washington Jr. (April 3, 1973 – July 10, 2015), better known by his stage name Hussein Fatal or sometimes as Fatal Hussein, was an American rapper, best known for his collaborative work with Tupac Shakur as a member of the rap group Outlawz.

Quick Facts

Role: Rapper & Member of the Outlawz
Affiliation: Outlawz (primary), independent
Origin: East Orange, New Jersey
Key relationship: No established connection to 50 Cent
Status: Deceased (2015)

Lore & Background

Hussein Fatal was born in New Jersey on April 3, 1973. He first appeared as 'Hussein Fatal' in February 1996 on the songs 'All Bout U' and 'When We Ride' from Shakur's album All Eyez on Me. As a member of the Outlaw Immortalz, his name was chosen to evoke Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. In June 1996, he was featured on Shakur's song 'Hit 'Em Up'.

After 2Pac died in September 1996 and Outlawz member Yaki Kadafi died in November, Washington did not appear on another recording until 1998 when Relativity Records released his first solo album In the Line of Fire. The label went bankrupt; the album wasn't promoted and sold poorly. Washington then signed with Rap-A-Lot Records and began work on a second solo studio album, Death Before Dishonor, recording over 40 songs before being arrested in December 1999 for an assault committed three years earlier.

Rap-A-Lot Records released the album as Fatal after he was paroled in 2002. Around 2003, through his affiliation with Rap-A-Lot, Washington began associating with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. That year, Washington performed on four songs of Ja Rule's album Blood in My Eye. He also made a cameo appearance in the music video for Clap Back, and appeared on the remix of Ashanti's 'Rain On Me'.

Washington performed again with the Outlawz on their 2010 mixtape Killuminati 2K10 and their 2011 mixtape Killuminati 2K11, and on the 2011 album, Perfect Timing. He also appeared on the tracks 'Emancipation' and 'Welcome To Real Life', from fellow Outlawz member Young Noble's 2012 album Son of God. He continued to release mixtapes on his own label, Thugtertainment, until his death. Washington was killed in a traffic collision in Banks County, Georgia, on July 10, 2015.

He was 42 years old. His girlfriend, Zanetta Yearby, was charged with DUI, first-degree vehicular homicide, and reckless driving.

Reader's Guide

Hussein Fatal is best known as a member of the Outlawz and for his collaborations with Tupac Shakur. He released solo albums In the Line of Fire (1998) and Death Before Dishonor (released as Fatal in 2002). He also worked with Ja Rule and Murder Inc. Records in 2003.