Rapper Lil Tjay shooting update — Rumors star is dead debunked as suspected shooter Mohamed Konate is arrested
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RAP star Lil Tjay is hospitalized and reportedly in stable condition after he was shot at a shopping center in New Jersey, and an alleged assailant has been named.
Rumors have been circulating on social media that the rapper, 21, is dead, but the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office shared an confirming that the shooting victim thought to be Lil Tjay has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.
Prosecutors have announced that Mohamed Konate has been charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, and weapons offenses in connection to the shooting.
Along with Konate, the two men with Tjay at the time of the shooting, Jeffrey Valdez and Antoine Boyd, have been arrested and charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
The rap star, whose real name is Tione Jayden Merritt, underwent emergency surgery after the attack, according to .
Multiple shots were fired in the attack that took place just after midnight on Wednesday near City Place Shopping Center in . Police were called to two locations — one at a Chipotle and one near an Exxon gas station nearby.
Read our Lil Tjay live blog for the latest news and updates...
Who is Lil Tjay?
Born on April 30, 2001, Lil Tjay is an American rapper from New York City.
In October 2019, he released his debut studio album True 2 Myself.
Some of his recognizable hits include Brothers, Leaked, Calling My Phone, and Zoo York.
In April 2021, his second full-length record, Destined 2 Win, was made available for fans everywhere.
Tracks Lil Tjay featured on in 2019
Merritt aka Lil Tjay appeared on Polo G, a fellow American rapper, in January 2019 on the song Pop Out, which reached its peak at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, per .
He appeared on the song Lying by the boy band PrettyMuch in July.
Later that year, he released an EP called F.N; the album’s first hit, F.N, became his first solo charting song when it debuted at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On October 11, 2019, Merritt launched his debut album True 2 Myself.
Live with Lil Tjay
Among his live performances, Lil Tjay joined Lil Mosey, a rapper from Seattle, on his 2019 national tour.
Along with Migos, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, and others, he also played at the three-day Rolling Loud Miami music event in Miami Gardens, Florida in May 2019 and at the Los Angeles festival in December.
Along with his close friend Jay Gwuapo, he usually performs and presents at concerts, per his Wikipedia profile.
Recent musical endeavors
Lil Tjay started , a new song that includes a sample from Iyaz’s Replay, in early March 2022.
On April 1st, 2022, it was finally made public.
He published a freestyle song titled Lavish on his YouTube page on April 24.
He revealed his EP, Strictly 4 My Fans, the next day.
Lil Tjay about his debut album
While going into detail about his debut studio album, Lil Tjay told : “I don’t want to be true to anybody else. I want to follow my dreams.”
“I want to make sure that I put myself first and accomplish what I need to accomplish.”
He added: “True 2 Myself means a lot to me because it’s a part of me.”
“It’s me trying to get to my next level of success, so I just need to be true to who I am and focus on that main goal.”
Wanted to show he was a ‘regular person’
Regarding the success of his projects, Lil Tjay told : “I just wanted to show my fans my personality, and let them know that I’m still a regular person.”
“With some artists, you don’t see too much of how their life is.”
Tjay further shared: “You just hear the music and see pictures. I wanted to open up to them a little bit.”
“I want to stay connected with my fans. I want to be friends with my fans.”
Lil Tjay’s discography
In October 2019, the rapper released his debut studio album True 2 Myself.
True 2 Myself featured appearances from his fellow rappers Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, and Lil Durk.
Some of Lil Tjay’s recognizable songs include Brothers, Leaked, Calling My Phone, and Ice Cold.
In May 2020, he released the Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign-assisted hit single, Zoo York.
In April 2021, his second full-length record, Destined 2 Win, was made available for fans everywhere.
Who was Trouble?
Born on November 4, 1987, Mariel Semonte Orr - mostly known by Trouble - hails from Atlanta, Georgia.
The rapper's debut mixtape, December 17th, was released in April of 2011 and placed at number 23 on list that year.
Trouble was tragically shot to death in a domestic home invasion earlier this month.
Rappers who died in 2021
The rappers who lost their lives last year include:
- Baby Ceo
- Prince Markie Dee
- DMX
- Black Rob
- Lil Loaded
- Shock G
- Indian Red Boy
- KTS Dre
- Chucky Thompson
- YNT Juan
- 12 O'Clock
- Emani 22
- Biz Markie
- Gonzoe
- Yung Kece
- Young Dolph
- Slim 400
- Kangol Kid
- Drakeo the Ruler
How many rappers died in 2021?
20 notable rappers died last year.
The latest 2021 losses were Kangol Kid and Drakeo the Ruler.
Rappers who died in 2022
Rappers who have tragically died this year include:
- Wavy Navy Pooh
- Riky Rick
- J $tash
- Chii Wvttz
- Archie Eversole
- Snootie Wild
- Sad Frosty
- Riky Rick
- 23 Rackz
- Tdott Woo
- OhTrapstar
- Lil Keed
- Trouble
Where was Lil Tjay shot?
According to the affidavit obtained by , Lil Tjay was shot multiple times in the thoracic cavity.
The thoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs.
Prosecutors announced in an update on Thursday that the rapper is in "critical but stable condition."
Lil Tjay may still be unconscious
Rapper Lil Tjay remained unconscious in the hospital as of midday on Thursday, according to
Sources told the outlet he was scheduled for a CAT Scan, but that besides moving his legs on Wednesday, he had made no other bodily movements.
Did Mohamed Konate shoot Lil Tjay, continued
Law enforcement sources told Lil Tjay has undergone emergency surgery and appears to be doing better.
The young star has reached 7 million followers on Instagram and released two studio albums with Columbia Records that reached the Top 5 on the Billboard 200.
Did Mohamed Konate shoot Lil Tjay?
The Bergen County Prosecutor's office said Mohamed Konate was taken into custody after he allegedly shot 21-year-old rapper Lil Tjay.
Lil Tjay was shot just after midnight on Wednesday outside a shopping center in Edgewater before being brought to the hospital.
Who is Mohamed Konate?
Mohamed Konate was arrested for the attempted murder of New York City rapper Lil Tjay.
In total, Konate was charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of armed robbery, and a slew of weapons and assault offenses, according to a release by the Bergen County Prosecutor's office.
The 27-year-old suspect is from New York City. He will be extradited to the New York Police Department.
Not much else is known about Mohamed Konate at this time.
Where was Lil Tjay shot?
According to the affidavit obtained by , Lil Tjay was shot multiple times in the thoracic cavity.
The thoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs.
Prosecutors announced in an update on Thursday that the rapper is in “critical but stable condition.”
Mulch match up
The police affidavit also reports that mulch found on Mohamed Konate’s clothes at his arrest was similar to mulch found near the scene of the shooting.
The matching mulch was reportedly located in a flowerbed in the parking lot of the Edgewater shopping center.
Suspect attempted to rob jewelry
According to the affidavit, one of the victims told the police that Mohamed Konate approached the red Dodge Durango that Lil Tjay and his two friends were in and held the three victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over their jewelry.
Police also said that two Nike sneakers were found at the scene.
New York officers also seized Konate’s clothes at the hospital where he was arrested and charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and weapons offense.
Shooter fled the scene
A police affidavit obtained by states that the suspect, Mohamed Konate, fled the scene of the shooting after being shot himself.
The alleged gunman was found and arrested at Lenox Hill Hospital on the Upper East Side at around 12.29am.
Police reported that a suspected “unidentified co-conspirator” helped Konate flee the scene in a white BMW. Surveillance cameras aided police in catching the suspects.
A witness reportedly said Konate was shot and then dragged into the vehicle.
Lil Tjay’s musical influences
Lil Tjay is a rapper who commonly uses Auto-Tune in his tracks. He was influenced by his Bronx background.
In an interview with , he said that his major musical influences are Drake, Meek Mill, and Usher.
When singing or rapping about his past problems, Lil Tjay said in the same interview that his music has a melodious feel.
Lil Tjay also attributes his success to the year he was incarcerated, where he believes his songwriting prowess peaked.
How is Lil Tjay doing?
Rumors circulating on social media that the rapper is dead have been debunked.
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office shared an confirming that the shooting victim thought to be Lil Tjay has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.
And some media reports said that the Bronx-born rapper was undergoing surgery after the incident.
Arrests made
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has announced that arrests have been made in the “attempted robbery” of rapper Lil Tjay and two of his friends.
Prosecutors announced the arrest of Mohamed Konate, 27, on charges of attempted murder, armed robbery, and weapons offenses.
Officials are accusing Konate of shooting at Lil Tjay, as well as Jeffrey Valdez, 24, and Antoine Boyd, 22, who were both with the rapper.
Lil Tjay collaborated with high-profile rappers
Lil Tjay rose to fame in 2018 following the release of his hit single Resume, which quickly gained the attention of Columbia Records – whom he signed with later that year.
The native has collaborated with several high-profile , including , Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, Tyga, Saweetie and Offset, among others.
Lil Tjay’s estimated net worth revealed
As Lil Tjay’s recognition continued to grow, his net worth became the topic of discussion amongst his fans.
According to , he amassed an estimated fortune of $600,000.