XXXTentacion death: US rap star was found dying in his car after being gunned down in suspected robbery

Kiran Randhawa19 June 2018

A controversial US rapper has died after being gunned down in what police believe was a possible robbery.

XXXTentacion, 20, was shot after being approached by two armed men as he left a motorcycle dealership and got into his BMW coupe in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The suspects, in hoodies, fled the scene in an SUV while the musician was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead 90 minutes later.

Video posted on social media showed the rapper apparently slumped in his car.

Tributes today poured in for the rising hip-hop star, who had been facing a string of domestic violence charges.

XXXTentacion, who has died at the age of 20
EPA

Born Jahseh Onfroy, the rapper, whose hits included SAD! and Moonlight, rose to prominence following the release of his debut album 17 last August.

His follow-up album, the enigmatically titled ?, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart in March and has been listened to hundreds of millions of times online.

The album tackled subjects such as depression and was praised by some of rap’s most high-profile stars.

In May, he was temporarily banned from Spotify under its policy of not promoting artists with a history of alleged hateful conduct.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office in southern Florida said it had received reports of a shooting near the RIVA Motorsports dealership at 3.57pm yesterday local time.

Detectives said the incident appears to have been a robbery after witnesses said a Louis Vuitton bag was taken from the rapper’s car.

XXXTentacion: The US rapper was shot dead in Florida
AP

According to a 911 dispatch call obtained by celebrity news site TMZ, the gunman, wearing a red mask, fled in a black Dodge Journey along with another suspect.

XXXTentacion, born in Plantation, Florida, was facing 15 charges, including counts of false imprisonment, aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and domestic battery by strangulation, for alleged incidents involving his ex-girlfriend in 2016.

Musician Kanye West and documentary-maker Louis Theroux were among those expressing their sadness at the killing. West wrote: “Rest in peace. I never told you how much you inspired me when you where here. Thank you for existing.”

Theroux tweeted: “Notwithstanding personal demons, he was a huge talent & bringing a beautiful new feel to hip hop. So sad.”

Liverpool footballer Daniel Sturridge added it was a “sad day for music”, while model Naomi Campbell wrote: “R.I.P @xxxtentacion.”

The rapper’s record label, Caroline Records, said: “Everyone at Caroline is shocked to learn of the tragic death of Jahseh Onfroy, professionally known as XXXTentacion. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”

In an Instagram video before his death, he spoke candidly about sending out a “positive message” if he died.

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