Rapper XXXTentacion killed in Deerfield Beach shooting

Underground hip-hop star dies in possible robbery, detectives say

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. ā€“ The Broward Sheriff's Office confirmed the man who was fatally shot in a possible robbery Monday in Deerfield BeachĀ is Jasheh Onfroy, better known as rapper XXXTentacionĀ and remembered in South FloridaĀ as aĀ rising star of the SoundCloudĀ underground rap movement. He was 20.Ā 

Detectives said the rapper, who was born in Plantation, was driving a black BMWĀ after leaving RIVAĀ Motorsports, a motorcycle dealership at 3671 N. Dixie Highway, when a gunman with a red mask shot him and fled with an accompliceĀ in a blackĀ Dodge Journey.Ā 

Onfroy, who was living in Parkland,Ā was shot about 4 p.m.Ā He was supposed to be servingĀ house arrest until March 21 for a domestic violence case in Miami-Dade County.Ā He was facing charges ofĀ battery, false imprisonment and witness tampering -- charges to which he had pleaded not guilty.Ā 

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue personnel rushed the wounded rapperĀ to nearby Broward Health North, where he was pronouncedĀ dead about 5:30Ā p.m. TMZ publishedĀ a video that showed witnesses surrounding his car before deputies arrived.Ā 

"If I'm going to die or ever be a sacrifice, I want to make sure that my life made at least 5Ā million kids happy, or they found some sort of answers or resolve in my life, regardless of the negative around my name, regardless of the bad things people say to me ... I appreciate and love all of you and I believe in you all," the artist said on a live stream on Instagram that was going viral. "Do not let your depression make you. Do not let your body define your soul; let your soul define your body."

XXXTentacion'sĀ popular songĀ about suicide --Ā "Sad!" -- was streamed at least 270 million times on Spotify, about 174 million on YouTube and was on the top 10 ofĀ the Billboard Hot 100. The rising star had earned respect from members of theĀ the hip-hop community who quickly reacted to the tragedyĀ on social media.Ā 

"Enormous talent and limitless potential and a strong desire to be a better person,"Ā rapper J. Cole tweeted. "God bless his family, friends and fans."

KanyeĀ West displayed regret.Ā 

"Rest in peace. I never told you how much you inspired me when you were here," West wrote. "Thank you for existing."

OnfroyĀ began recording in 2013 as a solo artist andĀ as a member of the Members Only collective after time in a juvenile detention center.

XXXTentacionĀ was enjoying aĀ surge in popularity in the last year and had a No. 1 album after the domestic violence case.Ā In early 2017, "Look at Me!" wasĀ the first hit of the SoundCloud genre-crashing rap movement on the Billboard Hot 100.Ā 

"Diplo says XXXTentacion wanted him & Skrillex to finish the rapper's next album," Billboard tweeted.Ā 

The success hit whileĀ OnfroyĀ was in jail for aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and false imprisonment. The songĀ peaked at No. 34 and was amongĀ the most commercially successful artists who started on SoundCloud.

His certified-gold "17" album was released inĀ August and his "?" album was released in March. It made itsĀ debutĀ on the Billboard album chart asĀ No. 1.

Amid it all, XXXTentacionĀ facedĀ Spotify, a popular music streaming service, when they stopped promoting him and other artists whose conduct Spotify employeesĀ classifiedĀ as "hateful." The censorship only lasted about three weeks. In March, he was theĀ most-streamed artistĀ on SpotifyĀ with 26.7 million.Ā 

Broward Sheriff's Office detectives were asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 954-321-4210 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.