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On June 18, 2018, 20-year-old rapper XXXTentacion was fatally gunned down in Deerfield Beach, Florida. While four men are currently under trial for the murder, their defense team has claimed that the shooting was a consequence of the young artist's feud with Canadian hip hop star Drake.
According to Hiphopdx, prior to the shooting, XXXTentacion wrote on social media that if he was ever killed, Drake would most likely be the primary suspect. One of his tweets read:
“If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi [Drake] IM SNITCHING RN."
However, Hiphopdx clarified that soon after the Tweet was posted, XXXTentacion had said that it had been written by a hacker attempting to stir controversy.
Despite this, the defense team representing Dedrick Williams, one of the four men implicated in the killing, has stated that authorities have not adequately investigated the supposed hip hop feud between Drake and the deceased star.
Back and forth in the XXXTentacion murder trial
According to the Associated Press, the primary suspects in the death of XXXTentacion are Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, Robert Allen, and Dedrick Williams.
Vibe reported that the shooting was believed to be a consequence of an attempted robbery on the young star.
Williams' defense attorney, Mauricio Padilla, claimed that Boatwright, Newsome and Williams are scapegoats in a conspiracy involving Robert Allen and Drake. Allen, who took a deal and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, is scheduled to testify against the other suspects.
In August 2022, Allen's attorney told NBC Miami:
“Mr. Allen entered a guilty plea this morning in the murder death of XXXTENTACION. He pleaded guilty to a lesser included offense of second-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. He still faces a life sentence."
Allen's attorney claimed that his client was not involved in the shooting. He said that Allen was waiting in the car, and that the killing had primarily been perpetrated by his accomplices.
He added:
“(Allen's) involvement was much less than the others. More of an accusatory after the fact than really part of the planning. Certainly never got out of the car, never had a gun, never shot anybody. And hopefully the judge and the State will take this into consideration.”
What is the allegation against Drake?
Williams' defense team claimed that rather than being an armed robbery, the shooting was a targeted murder partially hatched by Robert Allen on behalf of Drake. Padilla stated that due to Drake's fame and influence, he has not been drawn into the investigation. Padilla said:
“This is one of the biggest celebrities in the world. Excluding an order from this court, we all know that I will never be able to take his deposition.”
The trial is currently ongoing. Neither Drake nor his legal team have commented on the allegations or his alleged feud with the deceased star.
