What up gang.
Back with the real you know what’s the deal. The music industry has been losing rap artists in what seems like every week. So much talent has passed away before they could reach their full potential. Whether through accident, violence, overdose, or crime gone wrong, we’ve really seen how fragile life can be. Today, this vid is dedicated to rappers who lost their lives too soon. Rather than simply detail the popular rappers, I thought I should showcase some of the more independent artists as well in the mix. RIP to those not with us anymore. Let’s chop it up and break it down.
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First on the list, Lil Snupe.
Lil Snupe was a tragic loss to the hip hop community. He was like the protégé of Meek Mill that became like a brother to the MMG top dog https://youtu.be/7DngddFrxxA (0:17-0:26) https://youtu.be/Hdk10t3vHy4 (1:36-1:51) Snupe himself spoke on how much he looked up to Meek and was like a dream getting signed to his label, Dreamchasers https://youtu.be/x7lLv5Z0lhs (0:00-0:12) Snupe was a young talent able to control the room when he hopped on the mic https://youtu.be/Hdk10t3vHy4 (2:26-2:40) and he was a monster with the freestyles https://youtu.be/UTg6HHfN0MU (1:271:57) He was the next up to make it but sadly his life was taken on June 20th 2013 at the Maplewood Apartments in Winnfield, Louisiana. There have been varying stories but the one reported by officials was that Lil Snupe was at a friend’s apartment playing video games when an argument broke out and he was shot twice in the chest. His friend, Edrick O. Stewart aka Lil E
sat down in an interview and relayed that same story with the addition that they were playing the game for money and Snupe was winning and dude got heated https://youtu.be/VWXG6PPZW40 (8:42-9:08) Snupe’s mother would also go on an interview labeling Lil E basically as a snake https://youtu.be/81mfgeKNDyI (3:42-4:21)
The trigger man was later found to be Tony Holden and he was charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Edrick O. Stewart aka Lil E was also charged for manslaughter. To this day the real story, if there is one, hasn’t been revealed but Lil Snupe’s legacy lives on.
On his 2021 album, Expensive Pain, Meek Mill dedicated the track, “Angels (RIP Lil Snupe)” to his fallen Dreamchasers artist and brother https://youtu.be/x7lLv5Z0lhs
https://youtu.be/iHF242NiStc (0:15-1:27) https://youtu.be/YkSW6D9p3LM
Bankroll Fresh, the next rapper on the list, was the Atlanta Georgia native known for bangers like the cult classic, “Hot Boy” https://youtu.be/A8kNWkAcMBw
Many say his future was bright in the rap game, but that future was tragically taken on March 24, 2016. Authorities responded to the Street Execs Studio at 1740 Defoor Place in northwest Atlanta around 11 p.m. that night after reports of a shooting. They would find a large crowd running away from the location but Bankroll Fresh was already taken to the Hughes Spalding Hospital. Sadly 28-year-old Trentavious White aka Bankroll Fresh succumbed to his injuries. Surveillance video that later surfaced shows a scuffle between him and the rapper No Plug
After No Plug rolled up to the studio to apparently sort out some issues with Bankroll Fresh. Unfortunately, things went sideways and after they got into a brawl, the video shows Bankroll outside aiming an SKS Rifle towards a car across the street with No Plug and his crew, before letting off the first shot. Someone in the vehicle buss back shattering the glass before pulling off. Moments later surveillance shows No Plug being carried out by his homies to rush him to the hospital https://youtu.be/Phf6Wni9sxE but the shooter was finished and spun the block emptying the clip to the studio https://youtu.be/KFQTmtomoUM (0:31-1:50) No Plug would dodge murder charges on self-defense. In an interview with Vlad he runs down the entire story how their childhood friendship turned to enemies when Bankroll Career took off and how the shooting went down https://youtu.be/EyhONc0n-mM (0:51-1:12) https://youtu.be/EyhONc0n-mM (2:02-3:00) https://youtu.be/EyhONc0n-mM (4:55-8:08) No Plug still carries the burden of what happened to his childhood friend and at times still posts about his regrets about the situation.
Many of the newer folks that now got a passion for rap may not even know about this next rapper. Mr. Dey Know, Shawty Lo
He was a rising star from the city of Georgia and his hit single “Dey Know” sent him on the path to stardom https://youtu.be/g_aMmSWd9M8 Snapple Facts: Shawty Lo made this particular dance in question mainstream at the time https://youtu.be/g_aMmSWd9M8 (1:24-1:37) The more you know.
He would go head to head with fellow Atlanta Georgia Goat, TI in a highly publicized beef https://youtu.be/bBC2EZeYZ0M (0:19-1:00) https://youtu.be/bBC2EZeYZ0M (2:50-4:11)
The two would go on to make it mainstream despite their beef, but Shawty Lo’s fame was tragically cut short. September 2016, Shawty Lo lost his life in a fiery car crash on Interstate 285 near the exit to Cascade Road. Reports state that his 2016 Audi plowed through a couple trees before overturning and bursting into flames.
Carlos Walker aka Shawty Lo was thrown from the vehicle in the crash and died at the scene. In what could be called a miracle, two women that were in the car at the time survived the gruesome crash https://youtu.be/yfuEsruh65c
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/atlanta-rapper-shawty-lo-killed-fiery-car-crash-n652126
2021 especially has been a dangerous year for mainstream and upcoming artists. It’s like a curse where rappers lives are being lost. The next artist was an up and coming Columbus, Ohio female rapper by the name Boog The Bandit.
Her life was taken away in what authorities call an attempted robbery in east Columbus on May 20th 2021. Authorities received a call from Mount Carmel East Hospital after a gunshot victim walked in around 6:10 p.m. The victim, 26-year-old Courtney Bruce aka Boog The Bandit succumbed to her wounds moments later.
Detectives believe the shooting happened in the 3700 block of Dort Place near East Livingston Avenue while Boog The Bandit was in a vehicle with another person. According to her mother, she left to do someone’s hair. Reports further expands on the situation, stating that during that time a group of armed men with guns pulled up in an attempted robbery. They surrounded the car and started assaulting Boog before witnesses say they heard two shots, a car driving off, then one more shot https://youtu.be/IVNkXpRu3fs (0:44-1:02) Her mother would speak on the incident stating that her daughter was pistol whipped and shot in her chest https://youtu.be/IVNkXpRu3fs (1:02-1:12)
Her music was now popping and on the rise too https://youtu.be/R3G1mIUPSTk (0:46-1:16) Currently her music videos within the months they were released racked up over 190K views each
https://youtu.be/IVNkXpRu3fs (0:25-0:43)
This next rapper, I came about by chance sometime back in the day. I think there was some hype around his track, “Benz Truck” https://youtu.be/3rkJ3L5Ce80 so I searched it up and no lie, the track was different, but kind of slapped. The beat was crazy. I never got into his music, but I do remember realizing how huge his following was. He had that cult type of following. He was the Pennsylvania rapper, Gustav Elijah Åhr aka Lil Peep
I’d categorize his music as Emo Rap, filled with messages of heartbreak, depression, and escaping reality through drugs. Fans related to the rapper and knew his songs word for word https://youtu.be/TJSV7ihGk0A (0:36-1:04) His popularity went from SoundCloud to signing a multi-year contract with First Access Entertainment (FAE) in 2016. Sadly, before he could rise to the top of the industry, on November 15th, 2017, not long after his 21st birthday, Peep died of an overdose from Xanax and fentanyl on a tour bus near Tucson, Arizona https://youtu.be/b3IgIsG9_Zk (0:03-1:04)
The next rapper whose life was lost too soon, is the afterlife collaborator of Lil Peep, XXXtentacion https://youtu.be/-jRKsiAOAA8 (2:09-2:24)
XXXtentacion was without a doubt a unique talent in the rap game with darkness and trouble following him. His most publicized drama before he was murdered, was his trial for a 2016 domestic abuse case involving his ex where he was charged by the Miami-Dade County state attorney’s office with aggravated battery of a pregnant victim, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness tampering. Tapes appeared of him seemingly confession to the events and even confessed to stabbing eight persons with no remorse https://pitchfork.com/news/xxxtentacion-confessed-to-domestic-abuse-secret-recording-listen/ (0:16-1:17) His mental issues was no secret to the world and that may be why fans connected to his raw emotions so much. Despite all the negative press, his music was dominating the industry. His album, “?” debuted number 1 on the billboard charts, the day after his passing he broke Taylor Swifts record for most Spotify streams in a single day with his single “SAD!” amassing 10.4 million streams globally, and hip hop goat, Kendrick Lamar praised his “17” album, so dude had the talent and emotion to impress some of the best in the game and his massive fanbase reflected it.
On June 18th, 2018, XXXtentacion was shot in what appeared to be a robbery. Authorities report that at least one of the two suspects fired a gun and struck X before fleeing in a dark-colored S.U.V. XXXtentacion was transported to a local hospital but didn’t make it. Surveillance video would be released showing the two men, guns drawn, hop out of the SUV that blocked X from driving off, rushing to X in his whip where a struggle broke out before they popped him. A homie that was in the car was also seen dipping and leaving X to fight for himself https://youtu.be/oiCTF2VX9DU (0:15-0:37) Crazy thing is X saw one of his shooters in a dealership moments before. So seems they were marking bro’s movements and planned to catch him slipping for the bag https://youtu.be/oiCTF2VX9DU (0:38-0:45) Four men involved in his death were eventually caught and charged with his murder https://youtu.be/oiCTF2VX9DU (0:47-0:52) Later the dispatch recording was also released https://youtu.be/wDhySfkrToU along with the chilling video of X laying lifeless in the vehicle https://youtu.be/3hgRgOT8vCM (0:020:12)
And the last rapper to be mentioned on this vid that was gone before his time, is the King of Memphis, Mr. Paper Route Frank, Young Dolph.
Dolph would be caught lacking when he visited his favorite bakery in Memphis, Mekeda’s Homeade “Butter Cookies” to buy cookies for his moms https://youtu.be/PMMSFkHgmQ4
Memphis police stated that the shooters pulled up in a white, two-door Mercedez Benz before running past Young Dolph’s camouflage Lambo and shooting into the cookie shop, ending the rapper’s life.
Young Dolph previously survived two shooting attempts in the past, both of which he survived.
In those instances, both were linked to his ongoing beef with CMG label boss and Memphis rapper Yo Gotti along with his artist Blac Youngsta
Cops have yet to suspect the two in any relation to his death, but the city have been on the case, recovering the car that allegedly was used in the hit https://youtu.be/iEoDpLe7h-4 (0:00-0:30) Authorities have been receiving a string of assistance from the community and it is helping narrow down the ones responsible https://youtu.be/uqwWiTZUhSk (1:42-1:54) Hopefully Dolph’s murder gets justice and his family can find some peace, however little, in that result. Young Dolph wasn’t even near his peak and already left a huge legacy in music, his city, and his family.
RIP to all the rappers that lost their lives too soon. May the memories left behind inspire better for their community and the world.
So there you have it. Thanks for kicking it with yah boy, appreciate the love and support. If you’d like a part 2 of this “Rappers Gone Too Soon” series just let me know in the comments. Leave some positive messages for those gone and those still living. We’re all just tryna make it in this life, might as well do it together. Catch ya’ll in the next one. Peace up and peace out.
Insider Hotspot Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRomM7ZedDRRo8bPBG8XuFA/videos
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
