James Sramek: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

James Sramek Nicola Sramek Shooting

James Sramek pictured on his Facebook page.

An aspiring rapper has been found dead in his home along with his mother just outside of Atlanta. The bodies of James Sramek, 29, and his 61-year-old mother Nicola were found on the evening of August 7. Police had gone to their home, along Chelsea Park Slane in Norcross, Georgia, after relatives hadn’t heard from the pair in a few days, reports CBS Atlanta. The town of Norcross is about 20 miles north of Atlanta.

Here’s what you need to know:


1. Friends Say Sramek Received ‘Push Back’ in Atlanta’s Rap Community Because of the Color of His Skin

James Nicola Sramek Shooting

(Screengrab via CBS Atlanta)

At the time of his death, Sramek had been working at Tony’s Bar and Grill in Roswell, Georgia, according to his Facebook page. On that page, Sramek writes that he’s a native of Chicago but lived in Atlanta at the time of his death. He attended high school in Joliet, Illinois.

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He had been making inroads in Atlanta’s hip hop scene for six years, reports CBS Atlanta. One of his co-workers told the station that Sramek encountered “push back” in the rap world due to his race. Simone Young said, “He never let that bother him because his thing was, ‘It doesn’t matter what I look like.'”


2. Police Haven’t Said for How Long Sramek & His Mother Had Been Dead

James Sramek ILLA Rapper

(Facebook)

Investigators aren’t saying how long Sramek and his mother had been dead for before they were found nor has the cause of death been announced. The discovery came at around 10 p.m. on August 7 inside of their apartment in the Barrington Hills complex, reports NBC Atlanta.

Gwinnett police Cpl. Deon Washington told the media, “The manner and cause of death will be determined by the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner. The approximate length of time that they were inside the apartment deceased will also be determined by the Medical Examiner. The complainant for the call was not able to make contact with their family members at that address and requested that the police respond. When officers arrived, they located two deceased people inside the residence,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A neighbor who lived in the area for several years told the Gwinnett Daily Post that she’d never heard of anything like murder happening in the area.


3. One Online Tribute Mentioned That Sramek ‘Never Stopped Talking’ About How Much He Loved His Mother

Sramek’s Facebook page has become inundated with friends paying tribute to the slain rapper. One person wrote that since she’s known Sramek he “never stopped talking” about how much he loved his mother. Here are some of the other poignant tributes to Sramek and his mother:


4. A Video On His YouTube Page Shows Him Performing Oral Sex on a Girl at a Party

ILLA James Sramek ILLA Atlanta

(Twitter)

Sramek went by the moniker ILLA in his rapping career. His YouTube channel (WARNING: Extremely Graphic Content) shows four uploaded videos with no updates since 2012. One such video merely shows Sramek performing oral sex on a woman at a party in Atlanta. A Twitter page for his music hasn’t updated since 2012. He was last mentioned on the social media site after he was selected to perform at an open mic night in Atlanta in June 2014.

There are photos on Sramek’s Facebook page showing him with Usher, 2 Chainz and Twista to name but a few.


5. Authorities Aren’t Saying If They Have Any Suspects

James Sramek ILLA Facebook Page Usher

Sramek pictured with Usher in October 2015. (Facebook)

No motive has been made public for the crime with the investigation being handled by homicide detectives. In speaking to the media, Gwinnett police Cpl. Deon Washington, said that the deaths were an isolated incident. Neighbors are being asked to come forward to police with any information.