The Chi producer Justin Hillian explained why Iman Shumpert's Rob was killed in the Season 6 finale of the Showtime crime drama. Robert "Rob" Lafayette debuted in The Chi Season 4 as one of Tiffany's (Hannaha Hall) clients, and their instant chemistry became something more after the pair decided to move in together, which essentially kickstarted their relationship.
Rob and Tiffany's relationship in The Chi has had its fair share of ups and downs. Still, Rob maintained his composure throughout, mainly because he knew that arguing wouldn't solve anything.
The Chi Season 6 saw Rob being involved with shady gangster and mayoral candidate, Douda (played by Curtiss Cook, who is a notable part of the cast of The Chi), after he mapped out a plan to set him up. However, it backfired drastically because he ended up in a coma after being shot.
While Rob survived his first exit scare in The Chi, he didn't quite become lucky the second time around.
Why Did Iman Shumpert Leave The Chi?
Rob's conflict with Douda didn't stop after he was shot. Instead, Douda was hellbent on making Rob's life a living hell because he would stop at nothing until he was dead.
However, another enemy on the horizon arrived to stir some trouble for Rob in the form of Nuck (Cortez Smith). Given that Rob and Tiffany have a legal cannabis business, Nuck wanted in on it, threatening Rob that he would kill him if he said no.
The Chi's Season 6 finale saw the conflict come to a brutal conclusion after Nuck killed Douda in cold blood to gain control of his territory in the crime underbelly. Unexpectedly, Nuck also killed Rob after he denied his offer to join him, proving a point and sending a message to Rob's mother, Alicia (Lynn Whitfield), that rejecting him was the wrong move.
Rob's unexpected death shocked fans of the series, considering he became a beloved character since his debut in Season 4.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in July 2024, The Chi producer and co-showrunner Justin Hillian said that they "always defer to the story" when the interviewer talked about Rob's death in the series, indicating that Iman Shumpert's departure was a narrative-driven decision. Hillian also noted that "it was not an easy call to make:"
"Iman is just a great person. He did such a phenomenal job evolving into that character, showing us who that character was. And it was sort of a give and take, as we had our ideas, and then he took it to the next level. And then, when Lynn Whitfield came in, and he had his chemistry and rapport with Hannaha [Hall, who plays Rob’s girlfriend, Tiff]. It was not an easy call to make because we felt like that trio was really hitting their stride. But ultimately, we always defer to the story. And we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. But we wanted to be able to leave season six with this. When you lose an energy like Douda, we wanted to leave off with Nuck, who is taking the reins, and then Alicia, who has had this loss. We wanted to have those two things happening as we move into season seven."
Rob's death in The Chi definitely sent shockwaves through the show's narrative, setting up major conflict and storylines in The Chi Season 7.
How Rob's Death Impacts The Chi Season 7
The Chi Season 7, Episode 1, showed the aftermath of how Nuck left Rob's lifeless body on Alicia's doorstep, serving as a gruesome reminder that he is the new leader of the South Side Streets.
However, Alicia was still not aware that Nuck was the one who pulled the trigger. She confronted Nuck about Rob's death, but Nuck insisted that he was innocent. Instead, Nuck pinned the blame on Zay (Aaron Guy), and he even said that he dumped Rob's body on her doorstep so that she could have a chance to say goodbye.
This major reveal suggested that Nuck will continue using Rob's death to control Alicia as he tries to put a firm grip on the South Side Streets. It will be interesting to witness how Alicia slowly unravels the truth behind his son's death, and this could potentially lead to an all-out clash in which deaths will be imminent in The Chi Season 7.
