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Inglewood Gang Member Gets Life In Prison For 2016 Murder Of Rapper Kid Cali

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A 22-year-old member of an Inglewood gang will serve at least 50 years in prison for the slaying of rapper Kid Cali at a party in an upscale Granada Hills neighborhood back in 2016.

Rapper Kid Cali
An undated photo of rapper Kid Cali, whose real name is Justin Lishey, who was shot and killed at a Granada Hills party on Aug. 20, 2016. (CBS2)

Kenny Birdine, who was also known by the street name "Lil' Rampage" was found guilty last October of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 30-year-old Kid Cali, whose real name is Justin Lishey.

He was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years to life in state prison, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office reports.

Prosecutors alleged that on Aug. 20, 2016, Birdine opened fire on Lishey several times with a handgun from close range while the two were attending a pool party at a large 6,000-square-foot mansion in the 12400 block of Longacre Avenue. Lishey was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

Birdine was arrested the following month.

Birdine is a member of the Inglewood Family Bloods, and at the time of the murder, wrongly believed that Lishey was a member of the Rollin' 90s gang, prosecutors said. However, Lishey was not a documented gang member and did nothing to prompt Birdine to kill him, prosecutors said.

In December 2016, the owner of the home where Lishey was murdered was charged with misdemeanor illegal land use. LAPD investigators said the homeowner was paid by a party promoter to rent out his house for the night. The promoter then bused people in and sold them everything from booze to cologne.

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