The up-and-coming Maryland-bred rapper was fatally shot in Southeast Washington, DC last week shortly after posting his location on Instagram, according to his family.
- Jun 3, 2022
AceShowbiz - Another young hip-hop star has apparently fallen victim to street violence. 23 Rackz, an up-and-coming Maryland-bred rapper, was shot and killed in Southeast Washington, DC last week and his family is blaming his tragic death on his street life.
"Nobody could get him to stay off the streets," his father Michael told FOX 5, saying he spent years trying to get his son back on the right path. "It takes a lot to get a kid out of that setting," he said.
"I'd go to work, and he'd be gone when I come home," Michael further shared. "So we had a relationship of me trying to get him off the streets and him thinking, once he got money off his hands, he was gone."
Pointing out how easy for everyone to get guns, the grieving father revealed, "And as far as guns on the street, he had been arrested one time for a gun, but D.C. won't hold those kids. I begged the judges, P.O., keep him. Just keep him. But the next day, he was home. It's so easy for these kids to get guns, it really is."
23 Rackz's sisters also spoke about how her brother was just a regular kid when he's home. "He did not deserve this," they told the news outlet. Jamesa Hall, an older sister, stated, "A lot of people have different perceptions of him, but at the end of the day, with us at home, he was just a regular 16-year-old. It was never 23 Rackz in the house."
"It's hard to see on social media that you know, he's really gone and I see a lot of comments on social media saying like, 'Oh well he was in the streets at 16 and he didn't go to school, and this and that,' " she shared of people's comments on her brother's passing. "He was an honor roll student. They skipped him a grade. Like he was street smart and book smart. He was well before his time."
23 Rackz, born Justin Johnson, was fatally gunned down on Thursday, May 26 while he was reportedly shooting a music video. He was found shot in the Southeast section of the district just before 11:30 A.M. His family said he was killed shortly after posting his location on Instagram. He was only 16 years old.
The teen signed with a label named MGE in 2020. His death drew condolences from Wale and several others within the local music scene. His manager also mourned the loss on social media.
"I saw myself in you so much," he captioned a video of 23 Rackz signing his contract. "You wasn't just that regular 16 year old kid, you was different, you was ahead of your time, and I knew you was going be a star one day .. Ima keep your name alive 4eva babyboy until they put me in da ground."
Police have yet to make any arrests in connection to the incident. Authorities are reportedly offering a $25,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to conviction of the attacker(s).
A candlelight vigil is planned for this Friday, June 3 at 6:30 P.M. by the scene of the shooting at Savannah Terrace and 23th St. in Southeast.
