New Orleans rapper Young Greatness was fatally shot in a parking lot of a Waffle House located in his hometown. According to reports, the 34-year-old rapper, born Theodore Jones, died at the scene.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, the shooting was reported at 1:35 a.m., with Jones being shot in the back. Two suspects also reportedly took the victim’s car after firing the fatal shots. At the time of this report, authorities have not released a description of the suspects or a motive for the shooting.
The rapper became known after his 2015 single “Moolah” took off. The single was released by Atlanta’s Quality Control Records and showcased Young Greatness’ penchant for merging his love of trap with the melodic pulse of the music that shaped him growing up in New Orleans.
After the success of “Moolah,” Young Greatness relocated to Houston following Hurricane Katrina, going on to sign with Cash Money just last year.
“The first time I heard him, I knew he was going to be big,” Birdman said in a statement after signing Young Greatness in 2017. “He’s got a grasp of melody that few artists have. It’s the sound of the future.”
His mother, Jeanine Rose, briefly spoke with local reporters after learning of her son’s passing, stating, “It’s too many mothers making slow walks to sad tombs.”
She also shared that her son was visiting New Orleans this past weekend for a funeral. She also expressed how he never carried a gun nor was violent.
Heartfelt tributes have begun to be posted on social media, with rappers such as Bun B and Trae Tha Truth mourning the loss and condemning gun violence.