He stood at Tupac’s side in Thug Life in 1992, joined the Outlawz as “Mussolini,” and rapped on the title track of All Eyez on Me. Yet he is mostly mentioned only in connection with Thug Life and the Outlawz, even though he was one of Tupac’s most dependable companions.
From Inglewood to Thug Life
Tyruss Gerald Himes was born on November 22, 1968, and grew up in Inglewood near Los Angeles. From his nickname “Little Psycho” came the stage name Big Syke.
In 1992 he met Tupac and founded the group Thug Life with him and Stretch. Later, Mopreme Shakur, Macadoshis, and The Rated R joined. Their only album, Thug Life, Volume I, was released on September 26, 1994, by Interscope; Big Syke can be heard on several tracks. Tupac is also said to have met the producer Johnny J through him.
As “Mussolini” on “All Eyez on Me”
When Tupac formed the Outlaw Immortalz following his release from prison in 1995, he gave each member the name of a dictator or ruler. Big Syke became Mussolini. On All Eyez on Me (1996), he raps on four songs: the title track, Picture Me Rollin’, When We Ride, and Check Out Time.
According to common accounts, he left the Outlawz again as early as the beginning of 1996. In October 1996, shortly after Tupac’s death, his solo album Be Yo’ Self was released; an album on Rap-A-Lot followed in 2002.
Lawsuit Over Biggie Reports Dismissed
Around 2005, the Los Angeles Fox station KTTV and XXL magazine linked Big Syke to the murder of The Notorious B.I.G. in reports. He rejected this and sued for defamation, claiming that the reports had cost him a record deal.
In January 2007, a Los Angeles judge dismissed the lawsuit because the reports were constitutionally protected free speech-which said nothing about the truth of the allegations. Big Syke was never charged in the case; the claims are not repeated here.
Death at 48 and Posthumous Tracks
Big Syke died of natural causes at his home in Hawthorne, California, on December 5, 2016; he had heart problems. He was 48 years old and was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Several posthumous tracks with Tupac later appeared on Big Syke’s own releases, such as on Reincarnated Volume 1 (2007) (see guest appearances and features).