Rapper JayDaYoungan was killed in a shooting in his hometown of Bogalusa, Louisiana, local police announced Wednesday. He was 24.
JayDaYoungan, whose given name is Javorius Scott, died from his injuries while a second victim, a close family member named Kenyatta Scott Sr., is in stable condition, the Bogalusa Police Department said
The Louisiana native was an up-and-coming rapper best known for his songs “23 Island,” “Elimination” and “Opps.” Authorities noted that detectives are conducting interviews and working leads, but no suspects or motive were identified.
“We can now identify the victims as Javorius Scott, A.K.A. JayDaYoungan and close family member Kenyatta Scott Sr.,” the Bogalusa Police Department said on Facebook. “We can also confirm that Javorius Scott has died as a result of his injuries. Kenyatta Scott Sr. has been transported to another facility and we have been told he is in stable condition.”
Born in 1998, JayDaYoungan was inspired by hip-hop legends Lil Wayne, Chief Keef and Kevin Gates, and dropped out of high school to pursue his dream. In 2017, he released a mixtape, titled “Ruffwayy” before releasing “The Real Jumpman 23” in the same year, which peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard 200. The next year, he dropped “23,” which featured popular song “Elimination.”
Well-known in his genre, he had a large social media following with 2.8 million Instagram followers and 173 million YouTube views on his popular song, “23 Island.“
JayDaYoungan also faced multiple legal battles, with charges ranging from possession of a controlled substance, illegal drug possession and assault. In Sept. 2021, he was arrested for serving as an accessory to second-degree murder.
The “Elimination” rapper also faced a recent tragedy after his newborn child passed away earlier this year. Carena Vonche, JayDaYoungan’s girlfriend and the mother of his son, shared her grief on Instagram, saying “first mazi now you ion know how I can keep going… im sooooo hurt… my best friend, my headache, my husband, my everything, my baby, you didn’t deserve this”