Instagram/Jayo Sama Jayo Sama pictured on December 31.
Jayo Sama was shot dead in West Palm Beach, Florida on January 27. The up-and-coming rapper was just 22 years old.
His death was confirmed in an Instagram message from Sama’s friend, 12Honcho. 12Honcho wrote, “”F*** Palm Beach F*** Florida RIP My Lil N**** I Can’t Lose Anymore ….. RIP JAY O!!!!!” He added that he constantly told Sama to leave Florida because “The Hate Is So Real” in the state.” Sama was a native of Fort Myers, Florida, and group up in Lake Park, just north of West Palm Beach. He first gained notoriety with his December 2016 song, “Intro.” Sama’s star continued to rise with the release of his June 2018 mixtape, “Zumb Freestyle,” with rapper Soldier Kidd.
Heavy.com has reached out to Sama’s camp for comment on this tragic incident.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Sama Was Found Dead in the Passenger Side of a Car that Had Driven to a Different Location After the Shooting
The Palm Beach Post reports that Sama, who is not named in the article, was found dead inside of a car in the 72000 block of 72nd Way, close to Palm Beach Lakes High School. The Post says in their report that it’s likely the driver of the car Sama was in, drove a half-mile from 45th Street and Haverhill Road before he fell unconscious. Sama was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was found dead. The driver had fled the scene. WPBF describes detectives working the scene of the shooting as being there for hours processing the scene.
When asked in a 2018 interview about the violence in Palm Beach, Sama said that there were too many young people trying to join gangs in the city. Sama said that growing up, he had to spend every day looking over his shoulder. Sama added that he has had a more than one friend who has fallen victim to gun violence in the city.
2. A Little Over a Month Before His Death, Sama Released a Song That Was Dedicated to His Fallen Friends
A little over a month before his death, Sama released a new video for his song, “You Sleep.” The Fader describes the clip as paying a “tribute to fallen loved ones.” Sama told the magazine that the song was originally written in 2016. Sama added, “I came up with the song while I was incarcerated back in 2016. I kept harmonizing the hook in my head over and over. When I got out, I had, to make the beat.”
3. Sama Said in a December Instagram Post That His Girlfriend Was Pregnant
Instagram/Jayo SamaSama and his girlfriend, Sofia Veronica, pictured in November 2018.
On December 8, Sama posted on Instagram that his girlfriend, Sofia Veronica, was pregnant with a son. That photo was taken at the couple’s gender reveal party. On her page, Veronica posted a full video of the reveal:
As news of Sama’s death spread, Veronica posted a heartbreaking group of photos of the couple together. The caption described Sama’s death as being “so painful it feels like a thousand knives going through your heart.” Veronica added, “Y’all think y’all know jay. But y’all didn’t. Y’all think you know how I feel but you don’t.” She said that the pair were due to move in together in the next few days.
Veronica concluded the post saying, “RIP to a man who never let me down. Who loved me HARD and let me know every night. Who fed me when I had nothing. Who held me when I had no one. Who came home when he said he would. Who held my belly every night and told me how we were going to be the next big thing. You think you know how it feels ? YOU don’t. I love you fly high baby❤️.”
4. Sama Served Time in Prison for Selling Drugs Shortly After He Dropped Out of High School
Instagram/Jayo Sama
Sama said in an August 2018 interview that he served time in prison for drug dealing shortly after he dropped out of high school. During the same interview, Sama said that he was expelled from school for regularly getting into fights. Both of Sama’s parents were born in Haiti. Sama said that he would regularly stand up for other kids in school in were being bullied because they were Haitian. Sama says he has been in and out of prison five times during his short life. Sama described himself as being “targeted” during a 2018 arrest.
Sama said that things went crazy for him in West Palm Beach after he dropped his 2018 song “Intro.” Sama concluded the interview by saying that he was facing “a couple” of years in prison for a pending criminal case. Sama said that he was not worried about the outcome because he was innocent.
5. Jayo Sama’s Friends & Fans Have Taken to Social Media to Pay Tribute to the Slain Rapper
Sama’s fans and friends have taken to social media en masse to pay tribute to the slain rapper. The comments section on all of Sama’s Instagram posts have generated hundreds of comments that pay tribute. Here are some of the most poignant messages:
Rip to the zoeja @JayO1804 gone too soon🕊
Rip my brudda @JayO1804 🖤🙏🏼 rest easy g
Dammnnnn, I heard my first Jayo Sama song like 2 weeks ago. Rip
READ NEXT: Michigan School Teachers Admit to Making Adult Movies on the Side