A Mississippi rapper is dead after being involved in a drive-by shooting Sunday night (Apr. 29), police said.
Jackson police Sgt. Roderick Holmes says 22-year-old Jackson native Lonnie Taylor, also known by his rap name “Lil Lonnie,” died after someone shot into the vehicle he was driving and it hit the front of a house.
Here’s what you need to know about Lil Lonnie and the fatal drive-by shooting.
1Lonnie “Lil Lonnie” Taylor was murdered hours after posting a photo on social media.
Just hours after uploading a photo of himself on Instagram and Snapchat, Lonnie “Lil Lonnie” Taylor was dead Sunday night (Apr. 29) in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.
According to reports, the aspiring rapper was shot multiple times as he drove his SUV. His car stopped after it crashed into a home.
Another person in the vehicle, a female passenger, was not injured. Jackson police said no suspects had been identified and they weren’t aware of a motive either.
2Lil Lonnie spoke in an interview about meeting with 50 Cent and Jack thriller and talked about the advice they gave him.
In 2015, Lil Lonnie released a song called “Colors,” which put him on the map nationally. In a December 2015 interview with This Is 50, the rapper talked about the day he appeared in what the interviewer called a “big mega sit-down with two legends of the business.”
Lil Lonnie said he has spoken to Jack Thriller and 50 Cent, and he said he followed the advice they gave him that pushed his career forward. “Careerwise everything has been going, so I took that advice and I ran with it,” he said. “Keep the ground consistent, keep moving around, make my face a presence everywhere.”
Asked who he was working with to get money to put a billboard up in Jackson, Taylor responded that he hadn’t signed with anyone. Shocked, the interviewer candidly asked him, “What are you doing, selling drugs or some sh*t?” Taylor responded, “I don’t do none of that.” He later said, “I’ve got morals that I stand by” when asked whether he could relate to some of the things going on these days among people his age.
3Lil Lonnie said in an interview he wanted to use his first “mega check” to buy a house for his family.
In that same December 2015 interview with This is 50, Lil Lonnie discussed his big plans for the money he planned to make as an up-and-coming artist.
“Let’s say you get a mega check, what would you purchase with that first mega check?” the interviewer asked him. “I’d buy a house,” Taylor said. “I’d buy a house for my family.”
Lil Lonnie said he wasn’t interested in the game on the streets. He said he was taking care of his father, his mother had died when he was young, and he was helping out his four siblings financially, which was made possible by his music.
Taylor was asked in a 2016 interview with DJ Smallz what there was to do in Jackson. “There’s nothing… nothing to do. Nothing but a whole bunch of robbing,” Taylor replied. “Everybody’s just, I mean that’s all it is, just robbing and killing and all this, that’s all that’s going on.”
Taylor said his biggest musical influence was Baton Rouge rapper Lil Boosie. He said had gotten similar advice from him that he had gotten from 50 Cent, and that was to stay consistent with his music.
“I want to be the next icon people look up to. I want to motivate others around from where I’m from because not too many get the recognition I do, and I just want to bring that impact to where I’m from and help people out,” he said. “I’m willing to open the door to everybody.”
His advice to other aspiring musicians was to “keep running” and “chase your dreams.”
Before his death, Lil Lonnie collaborated with a number of big-name Hip Hop artists, like K Camp and Moneybagg Yo.
He also released a song with R&B singer/songwriter Bryson Tiller called “Change Up.”
Most of his music videos on YouTube have millions of views and some were even promoted via WorldStarHipHop.
4Lil Lonnie’s friends, followers and fans mourned his death on social media.
Friends of Lil Lonnie mourned the slain rapper on social media as his followers and fans all over the country grieved with them.
“(Taylor) was always 100% since them callaway days! The whole city hurt behind this one,” Instagram user DukeSuave1 posted.
“sh*t is so crazy…. I just waited on lil Lonnie tonight @ the restaurant & now he’s dead…” Twitter user McKenna Albritton shared.
shit is so crazy…. I just waited on lil Lonnie tonight @ the restaurant & now he’s dead…
— McKenna Albritton (@kenna_you_not) April 30, 2018
“RIP big bro,” Instagram user dionn2o4 wrote. “can’t believe they took u like that g.”
“Lil Lonnie can’t be dead bro I was just bumping yo sh*t the other day You has [sic] your city on lock and was making waves in mine ! I’ll never forget bumping ya mixtapes all throughout high school RIP Lil Lonnie,” posted Twitter user and fellow rapper Kash.
Lil Lonnie can’t be dead bro ??? I was just bumping yo shit the other day ? You has your city on lock and was making waves in mine ! ? I’ll never forget bumping ya mixtapes all throughout high school ?? RIP Lil Lonnie ??
— Kash ? (@Kevinx3__) April 30, 2018
5Lil Lonnie’s shooting death was amid three separate shooting incidents in Jackson.
Lil Lonnie was reportedly one of two people killed and two people injured following three separate shooting incidents in Jackson. Early Monday morning (Apr. 30), a mother was shot to death and her adult daughter was wounded during a burglary of their home in West Jackson. Jackson Police Sgt. Roderick Holmes said a suspect hadn’t immediately been identified.
According to news reports, 57-year-old named Evvie Williams was shot during the home invasion and ran to a neighbor’s house, where she died. Her 24-year-old daughter, Jaalyn Williams, was reportedly shot in the face. She was hospitalized and her condition was described as stable. Sgt. Holmes said the door of their home had been forced open, and they are still investigating the shooting.