XXXTentacion's Murder is Reflective of Thousands of Young Black Males Slaughtered in the Streets of America

Written by Alberta Parish

The rapper at his concert.

On June 18, 2018, an EMO rapper named XXXTentacion lost his life in a shooting after leaving a motorcycle shop in Miami, Florida. On WorldStarHipHop, a young man wearing a red face mask was featured who claimed to be the shooter who killed XXXTentacion as he openly bragged while standing in a wooded area about killing the rapper whom he said begged him not to kill him. Who then is Dedrick Williams that police claim killed the local Miami rapper? Did the police arrest the wrong guy for a crime he did not commit like race soldiers all across this country have done so many times in the past? Is Williams innocent of the charges for which he's been falsely accused?

XXXTentacion's murder is a reflection of a failed society who has greatly failed its children. Let's be honest. America really doesn't care about children. 

The rapper's music was dark with lyrics about depression and suicidal thoughts, which resonated with many youth that are struggling to survive in impoverished neighborhoods where gangs are running amok. Many Black and Hispanic youth are fully aware that at any given time they could become the victim of a violent crime. XXXTentacion often sang about death and violence as if he knew that one day he would lose his life. This guy came from nothing to become a self-made millionaire.

Even though his mom often left him behind and others had to take up the slack for her inability to properly care for her son, it didn't stop XXXTentacion from taking care of his mom and other women in his family. He purchased four homes for his mom, aunts, and grandmother within the past year. He really shared his wealth with his family although he was often neglected as a child. His father spent a lot of time in and out of prison. XXXTentacion spent time in prison. But somehow, he managed to make it out of poverty only to lose his life at the hands of another Black man. This is the story of so many Black males and Black females in this country. It's the same in every town, every state, every city. Black men killing each other is nothing new. Although XXXTentacion had some legal problems stemming from domestic violence in which it was alleged he beat his pregnant ex-girlfriend, he didn't deserve to lose his life at age 20. How about a good beat-down? Why did he have to be murdered? It was reported that at least one of the shooters has a connection with the rapper's ex-girlfriend who accused him of domestic violence. Perhaps, XXXTentacion's murder was retaliation. Still, whatever happened was not enough to take a man's life.

Although I was not a fan of the rapper, I felt sorry for him. I feel sorry for so many who lose their lives each and every day. So many Black females also go missing in this country every day, and there's no national discussion about the connection between these missing Black girls/women and the organ harvesting industry. In addition, there has been at least six documented lynchings of Black males within the past year, and there's no national discussion about these murders. I guess Black lives really does not matter. 

XXXTentacion had recently made a choice to change. How sad that his life was cut short before he could? How many of us have not made mistakes as teenagers? You're lying if you say you've never made a mistake or did something that you've later come to regret? Based upon the foolish mistakes we've made as teenagers, many of us should already be dead like XXXTentacion.