Rasual Butler and his sexy wife, Leah LaBelle recently died in a car crash. Read more to learn about the ‘Sexify’ and ‘Lolita’ singer’s death and other facts about a woman taken from our world much too soon.
A Brief About Rasual Butler
Rasual Butler was born in 1979 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but raised closer to Pittsburgh in nearby Point Breeze, Pennsylvania. After high school he attended La Salle State where he caught the attention of the NBA. In 2002 he was drafted in the second round the NBA draft by the Miami Heat. He had a 14 year career with the NBA playing for many teams including: Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs. Butler appeared in Trina’s music video, ‘Here We Go’. He was a close friend of fellow NBA player Lamar Odom and also appeared in a few episodes of his television show, ‘Khloe & Lamar’. Rasual Butler and his wife singer, Leah LaBelle, both died on January 31, 2018. They were both killed in a car crash in Studio City, California. Butler lost control of his Range Rover on Ventura Boulevard and crashed into a strip mall parking lot. They were both pronounced dead at the scene leaving their family members in a state of shock over such a tragic loss.
His Wife Leah LaBelle
Leah LaBelle Vladowski was born in 1986 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was the only child of Troshan and Anastasia Vladowski who were both musicians and immigrants to the United States. LaBelle became a public figure as a singer and a dancer in 1990 though she gained recognition in 1993 as a musician as well. She won the Washington State, Pre-Teen Miss American Coed Pageant Talent Competition in 1997 by singing “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” She was also named first runner-up in the Talent Competition at the National Pageant. LaBelle joined the Total Experience Gospel Choir in 1998, later performing with the Langston Hughes musical and Black Nativity. In 2000, LaBelle participated in a Children’s Reality Show, ‘Caught in the Middle’. She continued on the show for two seasons. She won the grand prize at KUBE 93.3 Summer Jam Idol. LaBelle graduated from the Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington in 2005 and also attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She recorded her debut studio album in 2012 along with a single as well. She gained popularity and a large fan following by posting cover videos on her YouTube channel for many years. Professionally known as Leah LaBelle, she enjoyed performing R&B under her contract with Epic Records/So So Def Recordings. LaBelle participated in the third season of American Idol where she placed twelfth in the final round as the wild card entry of Paula Abdul. Her life came to a tragic end with her death on January 31, 2018 when she and her husband Rasual Butler were killed in a car crash along Ventura, Boulevard.
Leah LaBelle Career
LaBelle got recognition when she appeared on the third season of American Idol. She auditioned in New York City at the age of 17, singing the song, ‘I Believe in You and Me.’ She won her golden ticket to the show and made it to the semi-final round. LaBelle was brought back to the show as a wild-card entry, but she was eliminated and did not qualify for the American Idols Live Tour 2004. Her rendition of the soul classic “Betcha by Golly, Wow” by The Stylistics was included on the Season 3 of American Idol Finalist Compilation Album, ‘American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics’. She sang ‘Betcha by Golly, Wow’ so beautifully that despite being eliminated from the show, her song remains one of the most listened to from the compiled album. After her stint at American Idol, LaBelle returned to Seattle to finish high school. She later collaborated in 2004 on a record album, volume 7, to benefit Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Centers in Seattle, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon and the Children’s Miracle Network in Spokane, Washington. In 2008, LaBelle was hired as a background vocalist after someone heard her YouTube cover of her song, ‘Energy’. She soon developed a mentor-type relationship with Keri Hilson who then went on to hire her. She was invited by Hilson to tour with Robin Thickle which to anyone would be a huge honor. LaBelle was quoted as saying, “She’s brought me along with her and allowed me to see into the industry a little bit deeper than I already have”. She later also got to tour as a background vocalist for artists such as the Jonas Brothers, Eric Benet and Jordin Sparks. She also appeared in the music video for Sparks’s “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)” single in 2009. In 2011, LaBelles’ rise to fame went even higher went even higher when she signed a joint deal with L.A. Reid and Epic Records, Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Recordings and Pharrell William’s new lable, ‘I Am Other’. Her hit, ‘Sexify’ was released in 2012 and it became her biggest single ever and she received high praise from her R&B fans for its awesome throwback sound. A music video for ‘Sexify’ was shot in 2012 in Los Angeles. In 2012, LaBelle was honored with a NYC dinner party thrown for her by Williams and Dupri at the Catch Restaurant in New York City. She was also presented with a live performance at the popular lounge by the two men who helped launch her career to stardom. In 2012, a 5-track sampler of Leah Labelle’s debut album was released on the Internet featuring the songs, ‘Sot Hot’, ‘Make Me Get Up’, ‘What Do We Got To Lose’, ‘Mr. Scissors’ and her leading song, ‘Sexify’. In May, 2012, Cosmopolitan Magazine announced the free distribution of MP3 downloads of ‘Sexify’ to all new subscribers on LaBelle’s mailing list.
