Gunmen killed rapper Jahseh “XXXTentacion” Onfroy on June 18, 2018. Broward County, Florida authorities charged four men with XXXTentacion’s murder.
One of those defendants looks to prove his innocence by calling other Hip Hop artists to testify at trial. According to the Miami Herald, Dedrick Williams’s legal team wants Aubrey Drake Graham as a potential witness in the case.
Apparently, the desire to have Drake take the stand stems from years-old internet rumors. Some XXXTentacion fans believe the OVO Sound co-founder had something to do with the death of the 20-year-old rapper.
In February 2018, a statement on XXXTentacion’s Instagram Story caught the attention of social media users. At the time, the “Look at Me” hitmaker’s page posted, “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi [Drake]. I’m snitching [right now].” XXX later insisted a hacker wrote the message.
The lawyer for Dedrick Williams also requested to hear from Daniel “6ix9ine” Hernandez and Joseph “Joe” Budden as well as Quavious “Quavo'” Marshall and Kiari “Offset” Cephus of the Migos. Deceased Migos member Kirshnik “Takeoff” Ball was mentioned as well.
Prosecutor Pascale Achille pushed back on defense attorney Mauricio Padilla’s move by suggesting the late disclosure of possible celebrity witnesses was an attempt to “create a trial by ambush.” Padilla argued the delay was the result of the difficulty involved with subpoenaing someone as high-profile as Drake.
Some Fans Believe Drake Rapped About Killing XXXTentacion
So far, neither side of the murder case has presented evidence to prove Drake had any involvement in the killing of XXXTentacion. However, there was some public tension between the two Hip Hop stars prior to XXX’s death.
In 2017, XXXTentacion accused Drake of stealing his “Look At Me!” flow for the More Life track “KMT” featuring Giggs. The controversial 17 album creator called Drake a “b####” and proceeded to repeatedly troll him online.
Many XXXTentacion followers went into an uproar following the release of Drake’s “I’m Upset” in May 2018. On the song, Drake raps, “End up getting loose and getting pictures from my ex. SMS, triple X. That’s the only time I ever shoot below the neck.”
Then, on June 29, 2018, Drake dropped his Scorpion album. The studio LP hosted a track titled “Mob Ties” where the Grammy winner says, “Louis bags in exchange for body bags.” Reports claimed that XXXTentacion’s killers stole a designer Louis Vuitton bag from him at the murder scene.
Investigators believe Dedrick Williams, 27, served as the getaway driver during the daytime robbery and shooting of XXXTentacion in 2018. Prosecutors charged a total of four people with first-degree murder in the case.
Dedrick Williams, 27-year-old Michael Boatwright, and 24-year-old Trayvon Newsome face murder and armed robbery charges. Robert Allen, 26, pled guilty and agreed to testify in court against the co-defendants. His sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2023. Williams’s trial will begin on January 9.
