The Jacksonville rap scene has been smacked by the death of Foolio, also known as Charles Jones. On his 26th birthday, Foolio was shot and killed at a Holiday Inn parking lot in Tampa. It is still being investigated, and the police have not released a suspect in the murder.
On July 4, a video appeared online in which a man from Jacksonville confessed to the crime. His face is masked by a ski mask and an orange beanie, and only some of his face is showing, but his words are precise and chilling. “I bagged Foolio for 10k,” his caption read. The video has since gone viral, spreading like wildfire through social media.
Jacksonville rapper admits to shooting Foolio because Yungeen Ace put $10k on his head 😳😳
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) JULY 4, 2024
The man, whose identity remains unknown, goes on to boast that he killed Foolio.
“I’m the one who smacked Julio Foolio that night when he got dropped at his birthday celebration,” he said. His voice was steady, almost detached, as he recounted the grim details. “I ain’t show my face or give my identity away or nothing like that, but I did that.”
The man stated that one of the more prominent longtime rivals, Yungeen Ace, had placed a $10,000 bounty on his head.
“There was money on his head. I rock with Ace and them boys, ATK. I will be in Jacksonville heavily. If you know, then you know,” he said, which might tip toward epic interconnections and feuds deeply rooted in the rap scenario. “But I did that—I handled that because Ace had that money on his head. Ace had put that 10K up and told me to slide. Told me to smack fool ’cause he got tired of that n#### running his mouth playing all the time.”
Fans and listeners always remind us of one thing, no matter what. This feud goes well back through Foolio and Yungeen Ace’s affiliations and street allegiances to Jacksonville, Florida. Foolio was associated with KTA (Kill Them All). Yungeen Ace was a part of the ATK (All The Kids) gang. One in which diss tracks have been fired back and forth from both artists. Foolio’s “When I See You” and Yungeen Ace’s “Who I Smoke” were some of the most controversial diss tracks, using exploding words and the resurrection of violent incidences that previously involved both of their respective crews.
But the beef between these two rappers goes deeper, involving personal tragedies. Yungeen Ace himself was the victim of gun violence in 2018, where he escaped eight bullets but lost his brother and two friends to death. Meanwhile, Foolio took to Instagram to brag about these killings, even posting a T-shirt with a picture of the deadline. These personal grievances, added to the compulsive gangster engagements and the rivalrous character of the rap scene in Jacksonville, intensified the tension and hatred between both rappers.
Meanwhile, Foolio’s Instagram account activity continued most recently through his and Yungeen Ace’s accounts. On it was a video posted Wednesday (July 3), the short, enigmatic caption insisting, “You can NEVER KILL A DEMI GOD,” and “the WORLD will be shocked VERY SOON.” Those words yielded so much intrigue since that tragic event in fans’ and followers’ minds: What to expect next?
As the investigation unfolds, we can only hope that justice will be served and that the violence within the rap community will be brought to an end. Foolio’s death is an apt reminder of how feuds and rivalries within music often splinter into real-life consequences. Love and thoughts go out to him, his family, friends, and fans through this rough time.
