July 9th 2022, a 14-year-old upcoming rapper by the name of Ethan Reyes aka Notti Osama
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was with his brother DD Osama
but that day wasn’t simply a regular time spent together. It would be the very last time they would see each other alive, for Notti Osama would lose his life moments later.
It was after midday, the clock was ticking after 2 pm, Notti Osama and DD Osama parted ways, thinking that just like any other day, they’d be reunited after going about their individual business https://youtu.be/_txZygBD5is (10:00-10:30) But soon, that reality would shatter to pieces.
Just before 3 pm, Notti Osama and two friends were walking at 137th Street and Broadway when they came across someone by the name of Kelvin Martinez, who was on his way into the train station to catch an uptown train. According to reports what lit the match about the events which were about to erupt, was a gang feud between Notti Osama’s affiliation and those of Martinez. The tensions and violence were escalating over recent weeks, and it was at a boiling point. With Notti spotting his rival, it was almost inevitable what would happen next
It’s sad, that at just such a young age, this was the agenda of their minds, but the streets of New York, in particular, SugarHill, which is the gang fraction Notti represents, molded him into what he had become.
A sad reality, but a reality that exists and erodes the minds of the youth.
The SugarHill set falls under the affiliation of The OYs also known as the Original Young Gangsters and also the alias the Original Youngins. Growing up in the environment of gangs and the lifestyle of the like, it’s not surprising Notti Osama’s first reaction was one inspired by injuring or even worse, taking the life of his rival Martinez.
Now, he has the mindset to do harm, and he also got hold of the broomstick as his weapon, which checks off the boxes for an altercation waiting to happen. Notti Osama and his friends first got into a heated verbal confrontation with Martinez outside of the subway station
before things went south and they proceeded to chase Martinez into the station where they cornered him at the north end of the platform https://youtu.be/Yx_nIWAMkv8 (0:00-0:12)
With nowhere left for Martinez to escape, Notti Osama and his friends began carrying out the beating they envisioned in their minds, but, they failed to factor in the possibility of resistance, and that, was the second grave mistake Notti Osama made other than engaging in the violent act in the first place. Martinez was armed and he drew his knife in retaliation to the beating he was receiving, a natural reaction in a fight or flight moment. He would swing at Reyes aka Notti Osama puncturing him in the abdomen
It was then, one of Notti Osama’s friends is reported to have swung a sharp object at Martinez which gave Reyes aka Notti Osama the time he needed to push Martinez onto the train tracks, causing him to fall on his back. Martinez, seeing the distance from the fall as a way to get out of the situation, climbed up and fled the station leaving a bleeding Notti Osama staggering down the platform before collapsing on the staircase
Police officers would receive a call about the stabbing just after 3 pm, prompting a swift response to the subway station to find a wounded Notti Osama on the Northbound 1 Train Platform https://youtu.be/FLxLisxgyO8 He would be rushed to the Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital where he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries https://youtu.be/08lGQEcYHi4 (0:39-0:53)
The stab wound did fatal damage upon piercing into his abdomen puncturing his liver, dooming the young teenager to a life cut short due to the gang violence pitting the youth against each other
The police presence was immense given the location of the murder and the busy surroundings, not to mention it was basically broad daylight. The crime scene was cornered off, but that didn’t stop concerned citizens from swarming to the location of the altercation https://youtu.be/2qFlQz8DYTU
A press conference was held by law enforcement in quick succession to inform the public of their findings to try and ease the fear of the suspect being on the loose. NYPD Transit Chief, Jason Wilcox would state that they have surveillance footage that shows the incident clearly and the suspect’s description is known and being searched for https://youtu.be/Yx_nIWAMkv8 (0:29-0:38)
Officers immediately began their search for the suspect and one officer noticed someone that fitted the description of Martinez on West 173rd Street and Broadway https://youtu.be/Yx_nIWAMkv8 (0:39-0:55) With the assistance of Martinez’ mother, officers were able to arrest him without any altercation. It was there they were better able to examine Martinez, where they found he had suffered injuries to his back and two puncture wounds to his left hip. He was treated at the hospital and also interviewed by NYPD detectives and DA investigators https://youtu.be/Yx_nIWAMkv8 (0:56-1:12)
Two weapons, a knife and a broomstick wielded in the altercation was found by law enforcement and ceased as evidence for the case. Martinez was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon https://youtu.be/eKcfegeMNoc (0:18-0:56)
New York city mayor Eric Adams
was coincidentally in the area promoting an event promoting public safety for children and teens when he caught wind of the tragedy that occurred, after which he shared his thoughts to news reporters on the scene https://youtu.be/4aRmj0XskoM (0:39-0:56) He would then take to twitter to try highlight the violent situation plaguing the streets of New York along with his meeting with the community to aid in finding a solution to the bloodshed
DD Osama, Notti Osama’s brother, would be devastated by his murder and couldn’t help but place the blame on himself for not being there to change the outcome https://youtu.be/_txZygBD5is (10:54-11:18)
They were finally gaining traction in the music industry making a name for themselves in the next rappers up from the Bronx. The fame was right there, but the money and all that came with it meant nothing now that his brother was gone https://youtu.be/5oYVqE_uUEw (6:22-6:40)
Notti Osama’s passing affected DD Osama to the point where he stopped going to school. The vibe was just gone https://youtu.be/5oYVqE_uUEw (9:30-9:50) The two were inseparable, and it took a murder to tear them apart
DD Osama would release two songs dedicated to his slain little brother. The solo track “Letter 2 Notti” https://youtu.be/7NH48v2aHKo (1:11-1:25) and a group track titled “E4N” which meant Everything 4 Notti. It featured their bro JStar Balla
along with other affiliates https://youtu.be/8snvKKCeLjg (0:39-1:12)
From that point forward, DD Osama along with loved ones of Notti like SugarHill Ddot
vowed to keep the legacy of Notti alive and always be the trio known as the three demons https://youtu.be/vrWVvjuWUzg (8:50-9:08)
Notti Osama was well respected in SugarHill even at his young age and retaliation was guaranteed for anyone that chose to disrespect his death or speak ill of his name https://youtu.be/vrWVvjuWUzg (9:58-10:15)
Sadly, in the gang culture that was their world, that only incited their rivals to taunt them by laughing at Notti Osama’s murder. One of the most unremorseful acts that came from rivals was the creation of a song titled “Notti Bop.” The track was recorded by Kyle Richh
and featured other rappers by the names Tata
and Jenn Carter
The lyrics detailed the murder but also came with a dance that imitated Notti being stabbed https://youtu.be/nhpscMvr12U (0:31-0:50) To add insult to injury, it went viral social media giant, tik tok tricking innocent civilians into mimicking the dance not knowing it was disrespecting Notti Osama. From kids to teachers, NBA players to even the cops, everyone was playing the song and doing the dance https://youtu.be/O0IO_gVtK48 (0:49-1:03) https://youtu.be/FhLOhDYje6c (0:00-0:14) https://youtu.be/F6LQdQICOfY
From the time of Notti’s passing to the present, DD Osama has taken it up a notch, carrying on his brother’s legacy through his career and life. His songs have earned him millions of views and streams on streaming platforms
Not to mention he has achieved a milestone that would have sure made his brother Notti proud. Major Labels like Sony have already been calling DD Osama into meetings discussing millions to sign him to a record deal https://youtu.be/_txZygBD5is (21:04-22:33) The most that can be wished for is that he stays out the way and doesn’t fall into the trap of the gang culture and simply focus on his music.
The murder suspect, Martinez had his murder charge reduced to first-degree manslaughter. His legal team argued Martinez acted in self-defense as he claimed weeks prior to the altercation he was also assaulted by associates of Reyes aka Notti Osama
October 2022, news broke that all criminal charges have been dropped in the case against Martinez. A spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said that prosecutors were not confident they could disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that Martinez was defending himself when he used his knife against Reyes. The decision was based on factors that included witness interviews and video surveillance, she said.
Notti Osama had so much potential. His talent on the mic was undeniable and everyone knew it, but the lifestyle caught up to him and in that one moment of making a bad decision, he lost his bright future in the music industry. He was just a teen, but there are so many like him losing their lives without even having a chance to live. Hopefully, his death doesn’t only bring grief, but there is some positivity in the long run by other youths looking at his life and changing their path down that dangerous road. Rest in peace Notti Osama https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bjNSNfaUeQM
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
