Son of legendary musician Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye III is now under investigation for allegedly pointing a gun at his cousin in his L.A. home and fleeing the scene before the police arrived. 

TMZ reported that sheriff deputies received a call around 8:05 PM on Thursday on a family dispute, and responded to Calabasas home of Marvin Gaye III. 

Who was Marvin Gaye?

Marvin Gaye was born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. on April 2, 1939  in Washington, D.C.  As a child, he sang at churches and was largely influenced by legendary musician Ray Charles. 

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It was in 1958 when he joined vocal group Moonglows. Three years later, he signed a recording deal with Tamla, one of the subsidiaries of Motown Record Company, where he served first as a drummer and later as a singer. 

Gaye was influenced by Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole, which made him want to become a crooner. Though he employed this style in his first album, it did not receive much attention. Thus, Motown convinced him to make up-tempo style of soul music., giving birth to classics like “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”

He recorded several classics during the Motown era, including “Can I Get a Witness,” “How Sweet It Is,” “Ain’t That Peculiar,” and “I’ll Be Doggone.”

Later on, Gaye started recording a series of recording duets with American songstress Tammi Terrell, also collaborating with other artists like Mary Wells, Kim Weston, and Diana Ross. 

Terrell’s death in 1970 led to a shift in Gaye’s music style. With his next album What’s Going On, he focused on personal relations and social issues, including the brutal Vietnam War. This seminal work was the first of its kind, as Motown had given creative freedom to the artist. 

Gaye’s career saw a decline, which led him to retreat to Europe, where he recorded Sexual Healing, a groundbreaking record that won two Grammy Awards. 

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“Got to Give It Up” was released in March 1977 by Gaye, recorded on a request by Motown to the singer to perform disco pop. It received worldwide acclaim, topped three Billboard charts and became one of Gaye’s signature songs.

Gaye returned to the US to live with his parents. Unfortunately, on the fateful day of 1 April 1984, he died during a quarrel when his father, Marvin Gay Sr., shot him at their house in Hancock Park, Los Angeles. 

Gaye’s legacy stays alive, the singer has been awarded several accolades posthumously  and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after his death.