Background and career
Rufus Lee Cooper III (March 21, 1978 – July 4, 2025), also known by his stage name Young Noble, was an American rapper and member of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz.
Noble was born in Sierra Madre, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He grew up in nearby in Pasadena, and at the age of eight, moved to New Jersey where he met future Outlaw members Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi. Around the age of 16, he moved back to California to live with his sister in Rancho Cucamonga.
Through his affiliation with Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi, they introduced him to their friend, rapper 2Pac. He made his debut on 2Pac's album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, on the songs "Bomb First (My Second Reply)", "Hail Mary", "Life of an Outlaw", and "Just Like Daddy". Having joined the Outlawz in early 1996, Noble was the last member to be added to the group by Shakur himself, before the rapper's death in September 1996. A platinum-selling collaborative album, Still I Rise, between Shakur and Outlawz was released in 1999, with Noble contributing to several tracks. Noble's first solo album, Noble Justice, was released in 2002. Over the years, he made other solo albums, was involved in several projects with other members of Outlawz, and also released collaborative albums with other artists such as the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony members Krayzie Bone and Layzie Bone.
Young Noble recorded at least ten songs with 2Pac while the rapper was still alive. On songs "Just Like Daddy" and "As the World Turns" (Original) 2Pac referred to Young Noble as Marbles.
"Tattoo Tearz" (Original) (Recorded on March 30 & June 17, 1996) (Remixed version appeared as Track # 13 on Still I Rise) "Life of an Outlaw" (Recorded on July 2, 1996, appeared as Track # 6 on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory) "Hail Mary" (Recorded on July 8, 1996, appeared as Track # 2 on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory) "Lost Souls" (Recorded on July 8, 1996, appeared as Track # 12 (CD 2) on Gang Related – The Soundtrack) "Bomb First (My Second Reply)" (Recorded on July 12, 1996, appeared as Track # 1 on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory) "Just Like Daddy" (Recorded on August 12, 1996, appeared as Track # 7 on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory) "Runnin' On E" (Original) (Recorded on 13 August, 1996) (Remixed version appeared as Track # 12 (CD 2) on Until the End of Time) "As The World Turns" (Original) (Recorded on August 22, 1996) (Remixed version appeared as Track # 5 on Still I Rise) "All Out" (Original) (Recorded on July 6 & 5 September 1996) (Remixed version appeared as Track # 9 (CD 1) on Until the End of Time) "Hell 4 a Hustler" (Original) (Recorded on July 6 & 6 September 1996) (Remixed version appeared as Track # 8 on Still I Rise)
Young Noble performed with 2Pac and the other Outlawz on stage at the Los Angeles House of Blues on July 4, 1996 where he rapped his verse from "Tattoo Tearz" (Original) referring to a fight with the Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, and Hussein Fatal's verse from the diss track "Hit 'Em Up" because of Fatal's arrest right before the performance.
