Up and coming rapper Superstar Pride has turned himself in to police. According to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, officers were called to a home yesterday (July 19), where they found a 40-year-old man dead. The man, identified as Marcus Wheatley, had multiple gunshot wounds. Upon further investigation, Cadarrius Pride AKA Superstar Pride, was found to be the suspect. The events leading up to the shooting are currently unclear. Pride’s connection to Wheatley is also unknown.
The 21-year old’s family later called police, notifying them that Pride would like to turn himself in. He then surrendered to Chief Deputy Reginald Lantern, and was brought to the Panola County Detention Center. He has been charged with 1st-degree murder, and does not currently have a bond. Unfortunately, if he’s convicted, Superstar Pride could be facing some serious time behind bars.
Earlier this year, Superstar Pride’s track “Painting Pictures” debuted at No. 99 in the Billboard Hot 100. It eventually reached No. 25 on the chart, peaking after the 5lbs of Pressure track went viral on TikTok. At one point, the song was removed from streaming platforms due to copyright issues, much to fans’ disappointment. It famously samples Faith Evans’ 1995 Faith track, “Soon As I Get Home.” It later returned after issues with the sample were resolved.
In an interview with Billboard in May, Superstar Pride revealed plans to drop his debut album, 777, this summer. Though he had claimed he wanted to release the LP on July 7, it has not yet been unveiled. He went on to discuss his upbringing, revealing the meaning behind the title of his EP 5lbs of Pressure. “I knew I had five pounds of pressure because it takes five pounds of pressure to pull a trigger.” He told the outlet, “I seen that I had five pounds of pressure at the age of seven, and that’s when a lot of my life changed. I just took that stage of life and I’m telling my story.”
In February 2019, Florida rapper YNW Melly was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder. Born Jamell Demons, the then-19-year-old was amid a swelling rap career under the YNW Melly moniker. From collaborating with Kanye West to delivering the hit single “Murder On My Mind,” he had a highly successful career ahead of him. Unfortunately, the song was more-so engrained in reality rather than fiction than fans would’ve thought.
Demons had an early fascination with music as an outlet for his chaotic childhood. Listening to artists like Chris Brown, he began recording music as a wild teenager. His mother gave birth to him when she was the mere age of 14. However, that lack of guidance would manifest in various unhealthy fixations. Demons took a precocious interest in guns as early as elementary school. In fact, he’s openly discussed bringing a revolver with him to school daily in fourth grade.
YNW Melly Had A Past Of Violence
YNW Melly’s song “Murder On My Mind” was rooted in his fixation with firearms. As a 16-year-old, he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of discharging a firearm in a public setting. He later told Billboard that being locked up inspired his chorus on the track, stating, “The first time I got locked up. I was like 15 or 16. I woke up and I had that chorus.”
On the track, Melly states, “His body dropped down to the floor and he had teardrops in his eyes/ He grabbed me by my hands and said he was afraid to die/ I told ’em it’s too late my friend, it’s time to say ‘goodbye.’” In retrospect, his fixation with violence was certainly unhealthier than the traditional discussions surrounding the topic in hip-hop. However, “Murder On My Mind” was released when outraged barbarity became mainstream hip-hop’s mainstay. Amid the SoundCloud era of sound, YNW Melly’s hit track blended in with other trap-banger hits that covered similar narratives.
Demons & YNW Bortlen Face Two Counts Of Murder
Before being arrested in February 2019 for the murder of two of his past friends, he had been in and out of prison. It’s a wonder that YNW even managed to grow his career continually. He was in a cyclical and chaotic routine. Melly would spend roughly six months in prison, then create music and persistently tour when he was out. On August 3, 2018, he released his first full-length mixtape in the form of I Am You. From a Chris Brown interpolation to the maternal ode in the form of “Mama Cry,” the mixtape blended his signature bangers with a softer side to his creative personality.
While creating his first full-length studio album, YNW Melly was associated with a new controversy. Christopher Thomas Jr and Anthony Williams, members of the YNW crew, were shot and killed on October 26, 2018. The two were dead before police arrived at the scene. Known as close friends and fellow MCs to Melly, he took to social media to mourn their passing, stating, “They took my brothers from me over jealousy.”
A few months later, Melly’s official documentary arrived on YouTube. The documentary primarily focuses on his troubling prison life and rise to fame. However, the end of the video claims that YNW Melly and his two murdered friends were the targets of a drive-by shooting in Miami. On the same day, he revealed that he was recording with Kanye West for the rumored Yandhi.
Melly Is Potentially Facing The Death Penalty
While Kanye West and YNW Melly were reportedly working together on music, Melly was arrested on murder charges along with Cortlen Henry, known as YNW Bortlen, on February 13, 2019. Police alleged that he shot and killed Thomas Jr and Williams. Furthermore, they accused Melly of staging the deaths as a drive-by shooting to clear his name.
Even during Melly’s time in prison, he continued releasing albums likely in the vault before he began serving time. Melly vs. Melvin spent 31 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts. Just a Matter of Slime featured Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Future, and more. The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 charts.
Since YNW Melly was imprisoned on murder charges, he has yet to see the light of day. Melly is set to face trial on the week of June 20th, with the jury selection process still ongoing. Per Florida’s recent law changes, only eight juror votes are now required to recommend the death penalty if a defendant is found guilty. This isn’t the case for Henry, who has been under house arrest since 2020. Now 24, YNW Melly has received a slew of supportive messages under the tag #FreeMelly. His little brother, dubbed YNW BSlime, has been releasing multiple tracks calling for his release.
Former member of Vallejo, California rap group SOB x RBE, Lul G, received a 21-year prison sentence for first-degree murder this week, according to reports from the East Bay Times. Moreover, the rapper pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, thus raising expectations that his sentence would last 21 years given the charges and previous court proceedings. Authorities arrested the West Coast artist, real name George Harris, back in 2019 and faced charges of first-degree murder in connection to the death of a Vallejo man, 26-year-old Rashied Flowers. Furthermore, the plea deal excused him from serving an extended 50-year sentence if officials found him guilty.
Unfortunately for Lul G, legal issues plagued him from the onset of his career alongside his group co-members. During a cover story for THE FADER back in 2018 along with SOB x RBE, he spoke on his struggles with the probation system that stemmed from armed robbery and gun charges since he was 17 years old. “They’ve been making it difficult,” he expressed. “Like, it’ll be a big opportunity that none of us will probably ever see again in our lives and they’ll just tell me, ’No.’ Straight up. It’s like, basically, y’all want me to lose my career, so I have nothing, so I’m forced to do stuff that’ll have me stuck in this system.”
Lul G Performing At The Day N Night Festival In 2017
ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Rapper Lul G of the hip hop group SOB x RBE performs onstage during the Day N Night Festival at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 10, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
When Harris pleaded no contest to the crime, Deputy Public Defender Max Fuentes spoke to XXL about the upcoming sentence back in March of this year. “It is accurate that Mr. Harris plead [no contest] to voluntary manslaughter and will be serving 21 years in prison in relation to the 2019 shooting death of Mr. Flowers,” he remarked. “All I can say at this point is that [Deputy Public Defender] Ms. Tanasa and myself feel honored to be representing Mr. Harris, as well as fortunate to have secured this plea deal on his behalf.” The 24-year-old admitted to using his own gun in the incident, which resulted in a shortened sentence.
Meanwhile, other members of SOB x RBE continued their careers in various ways. For example, Yhung T.O. and DaBoii dropped a collaborative project Demon & Mufasa featuring Snoop Dogg. The group’s members’ futures remain to be seen, and we will surely know how other members react to this ordeal soon. For more news and the latest updates on SOB x RBE and Lul G, come back to HNHH.
Reports have confirmed that aspiring rapper 19-year-old La’Darion Chandler was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in connection to a shooting death of a 33-year-old man following a verbal altercation in Lakewood, Florida.
Both Chandler and his victim, John McGee, have been classified as gang affiliated, with McGee, otherwise known as “Bang Bang”, just came home after serving four years in prison last year before he was killed by Chandler. McGee was expected to make a full recovery, but refused proper medical care and died 24 days after being shot. In those 24 days, McGee refused to cooperate with law enforcement regarding who shot him.
Chandler was connected to the murder by authorities after they discovered several social media posts and a music video where Chandler bragged about killing McGee. Soonafter, the “Hardcore Criminal” rapper was charged with first degree murder.
According to several confirmed reports, Gucci Mane’s artist Mac Critter has been arrested for first-degree murder in Memphis, Tennessee last month. He’d just signed to Gucci’s 1017 imprint just two months prior to the shooting.
Critter, whose real name is Daniel Bates, was arrested for a shooting on December 21 that left one man dead. bates was booked and has been sitting in the Shelby County Jail and was officially charged for the killing on December 29.
A message was left on Mac’s social media page which read, “Mac said he will be home real soon some small to [a] giant.” The message continued, “He wanna thank all his fans for supporting him from day1!!!”
Both Gucci Mane and one of his newest artists, Mac Critter, had an incredibly busy year in 2022. Gucci spent most of his time putting on for his label, 1017 Records. He dropped three collaborative projects featuring many members of his crew and other friends in the industry. The last of which is the 80-song So Icy Boyz: The Finale.
Rapper Gucci Mane performs onstage during Day 1 of the 2022 ONE MusicFest at Central Park on October 08, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Critter has a few appearances on the monstrous project. Additionally, he dropped nine full-length tapes of his own. In October, the world was witness to him officially signing to the “I Get the Bag” rapper’s label.
However, the 25-year-old is now in some serious legal trouble. A report from FOX13 indicates that authorities are charging the rapper with first-degree murder. “MEMPHIS RAPPER CHARGED WITH MURDER: Daniel Bates who goes by the stage name Mac Critter hit with FIRST DEGREE MURDER. Mr. Critter back in October became an artist signed to Gucci Mane’s record label. Critter apparently turned himself in yesterday,” writes Jeremy Pierre, a FOX13 Memphis reporter, in a tweet.
MEMPHIS RAPPER CHARGED WITH MURDER: Daniel Bates who goes by the stage name Mac Critter hit with FIRST DEGREE MURDER. Mr. Critter back in October became an artist signed to Gucci Mane’s record label. Critter apparently turned himself in yesterday. pic.twitter.com/74TT91advi
Authorities are also charging three other men with the murder that allegedly took place in December. Gary Taylor and Danterio Owens are additionally being charged with first-degree murder in the case. The alleged fourth suspect is still at large.
All four men are allegedly responsible for fatally shooting the victim, Markeith Taylor, with handguns. A witness alleges that they didn’t stop shooting, even after the victim fell to the ground. Furthermore, the witness says they saw two of the men stand over the victim’s dead body with a gun.
Gucci Mane’s Memphis artist Mac Critter has been arrested and charged with first degree murder pic.twitter.com/0MZnzvqNCY
It’s alleged, in the affidavit, that he was there but he is not the shooter. When Gary Taylor got bond, he was the alleged shooter. I was optimistic that we were going to get bond today but we didn’t,” says Critter’s attorney, Arthur Horne, in a statement. The “1 of 1” rapper reportedly turned himself in on Monday (January 2).
Finally, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for the latest updates in music and pop culture news.
