Rapper XXXTentacion passed away on Monday (June 18) after a fatal shooting in Miami. He was 20 years old. Following the news, social media users speculated about who could have been behind the attack, with local Florida rappers Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo denying any involvement.
But who are Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo? And what have they said so far about XXXTentacion’s death? Here’s everything we know so far.
How did XXXTentacion die?
According to reports, XXXTentacion (real name Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy) was shot multiple times while shopping for motorcycles in Miami. Onfroy is said to have been approached by two armed suspects as he left the dealership, when at least one of the suspects fired their gun and struck the rapper before removing a Louis Vuitton bag from his vehicle.
What have the police said about the suspects?
The suspects have been described as two black males wearing hoodies, with the shooter wearing a red mask. They are said to have left the scene in a dark-coloured SUV.
Investigators have reportedly said the incident appeared to be a possible robbery. A reward of up to $3,000 has been offered for any information in finding those responsible.
Who are Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo?
Soldier Kidd is a 19 year-old rapper based in Miami. His music video for the song ‘MCM’ has had over 400,000 views on YouTube, while tracks like ‘Reality’ and ‘Like Mike’ have been streamed over 200,000 times on SoundCloud. He’s released mixtapes called ‘Soldier Trump’ and ‘XXX’. Kidd also has a big presence on Instagram, with over 250,000 followers.
Less is known about Soldier JoJo, however, who appears to be a friend of Soldier Kidd’s and an affiliate of the rapper’s music crew. He has more than 36,000 followers on Instagram (correct at the time of publishing).
What has caused the speculation?
Social media posts from Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo have led fans to speculate over their potential involvement in XXXTentacion’s murder. They have denied this.
On the same day as XXXTentacion’s death, Soldier Kidd shared a photo of himself and Soldier JoJo sitting on the boot of a car with a red mask nearby, along with the caption: “Triple X but we banging like we BD @soldier.jojo ON THE X”.
Later in the day, he posted an Instagram Story that depicted a gun and takeout container, tagging himself at the Hook Fish and Chicken restaurant, which is roughly ten minutes from the scene of XXXTentacion’s murder.
On Tuesday (June 19), Soldier Kidd quoted the lyrics “Only time I feel pain [is] when I feel love” from XXXTentacion’s track ‘Everybody Dies In Their Nightmares’ in an Instagram Story.
Soldier JoJo, meanwhile, shared an Instagram Story which included a photo of himself wearing a red mask, along with the date Jun 2, 2018 and the letters “XXX”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkLCasjF-NW/
https://twitter.com/yzybackdoor/status/1008876756671983616
What have they said about XXXTentacion’s death?
Both Soldier Kidd and Soldier JoJo have denied involvement in XXXTentacion’s killing.
Speaking in a video uploaded to Instagram, Soldier Kidd said: “I’ve been seeing a lot of comments, I’ve been seeing a lot things going on social media saying that I had something to do with XXXTentacion’s passing. Man, listen, we all got love for Florida n****a… I don’t even know who the man was, you feel me?”
He added: “We got no time for none of this shit going on. My condolences go to the man’s family and whatnot…. I had nothing to do with it, but I’m going to stay positive and keep my head up like I always do.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkMC9MJF-66/
Soldier Kidd also addressed the speculation, describing the allegations as “crazy” and hitting back at the threats he had received from XXXTentacion’s fans.
Soldier JoJo also shared a video to Instagram, telling fans: “XXXTentacion… I don’t really know [him], I don’t really listen to [his] music. But, from what I know, [he] was a real ass n***a, and I respect [him]. You got me fucked up, keep saying we did this shit.”
“We respect everybody, straight up.” he continued. “We ain’t with none of that shit man, I respect that man for who he is, and RIP to that man.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkMDwE8h59c/
No arrests have yet been made.