Fans and friends react to the death of rapper Young Greatness, born in New Orleans

Musicians and athletes from New Orleans were among the mourners after the loss on Monday (October 29th) of Cash Money rapper Young Greatness after being found dead in a parking lot at Waffle House.

The New Orleans native, whose birth name is Theodore Jones, is known for his 2015 song "Moolah", which appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and was performed by Jones in "The Late Show". with Stephen Colbert ". The song has been remixed. with Lil Wayne and Yo Gotti.

Rolling Stone, who presented Young Greatness in March 2016 among the list of "10 new artists you need to know," wrote Monday about Jones' death.

Many media portray Jones as a rising star, a hard-working talent who used the courage and "hot success" of "Moolah" to make his way onto the hip-hop scene.

According to an interview with New York-based music magazine The FADER, Jones reportedly began hitting just before Hurricane Katrina after leaving college due to the death of his father and his mother's fight against cancer. FADER and Rolling Stone report that Jones moved to Houston after Katrina and was influenced by the grueling work ethic of rappers in that city.

"When I went to Houston, it made me want to go stronger because I had nothing after leaving everything behind me and it was at a low," he said. he said in the March 2016 interview. "That's where my excitement and passion come from, and that's where I decided it was what I was doing. my life.

He then spent some time in Atlanta, a change that is reflected in the "trap beats" of Jones' music, according to a Rolling Stone article published in March 2016.

But music writers have regularly noted that the sounds of Young Greatness were clearly melodic. It is New Orleans, and especially the second lines of the city, that Jones attributes to inspiring melodies.

"Every Sunday, I have to cut my hair, change my clothes. You travel about 15 miles through New Orleans. So, if it's cold, you'll freeze. If it's hot, you will sweat. It's just a party, "Jones told Rolling Stone in 2016.

"Moolah" was released by Quality Control Records, an Atlanta-based label that claims Migos and Lil Yachty. Before signing for Quality Control, he collaborated with Juvenile on the song "Buku", with Meek Mill on "Rollie On My Wrist". He has also made music with Pusha T and Gucci Mane.

In 2016, it's performed at Lil Wayne's Lil Weezyana Fest within a lineup that included local hip-hop stars, Mystikal, Partners N Crime and 2 Chainz. The following spring he signed with Cash Money Records.

Jones has often mentioned his hometown and influence, in all its complexities, in interviews with national media.

"Having grown up in New Orleans, there is so much poverty and murder that you can only choose if you are a young black man: get killed or go to jail. I did not want to get killed, I did not want to go to jail, "he told The FADER.

However, with Hurricane Katrina and his move to Houston, Jones often mentioned his stay in prison as a turning point and a motivator to achieve his musical goals.

New Orleans also serves as a backdrop for the video clip "Moolah", which is full of colors and cultural references: fanfares, Indian Mardi Gras, boiled crawfish, second lines, cemeteries, worn church. The video's scenario includes a funeral visit to the church followed by a procession, a coffin worn by people in mourning and floated in murky water. It ends on a happier note with Jones, surrounded by musicians, striking, a big smile on his lips, as his image melts into a view of the city.

New Orleans is a "city filled with emotions, we are passionate about everything … I have never been afraid of theater," he told The FADER in 2016. "I do not know what to do. I was never afraid to express myself, I was always ready. "

As the rumor approached Monday morning at Jones' death, the rapper's fans and friends turned to social media to pay tribute to him with horrific photos and messages.