Drake has been re-linked to the 2018 murder of rapper XXXTentacion after Dedrick Williams, one of the men convicted in the case, named the rapper as a possible suspect in a new appeal filed in November.
Williams is one of three defendants accused of the robbery and shooting of XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy.
The new appeal, filed by Williams' defense attorney, Mauricio Padilla, was discussed in an interview with Law&Crime Network on November 30. Padilla referred to an Instagram post made by XXXTentacion shortly before his death, which allegedly stated that if he were killed, it would be by “Champagne Papi”—Drake’s well-known Instagram handle. Padilla paraphrased the post: “Imagine the dead said prior to his death if anybody kills me it’s Champagne Papi,” suggesting that Drake may have been involved.
Padilla further explained that XXXTentacion had a history of public feuds, not only with Drake but with several other rappers connected to Drake's OVO label. The defense attorney highlighted that several of his client’s defense witnesses, including other rappers, could testify to the tensions between the two men.
Drake is being brought back into the XXXTentacion case. pic.twitter.com/A38WcTqwmQ
— LostInTheScript TV (@LostInTheScript) November 30, 2024
20-year-old XXXTentacion was shot and killed outside a motorcycle dealership in Deerfield Beach, Florida, on June 18, 2018. Williams, Michael Boatwright, and Trayvon Newsome were arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. The robbery, which involved the theft of $50,000 in cash, was captured on CCTV and presented as evidence at trial. In March 2023, all three men were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Padilla also referred to a conversation from 2018 between DJ Akademiks and XXXTentacion, during which Akademiks allegedly warned Onfroy about his ongoing feud with Drake. According to Padilla, Akademiks cautioned Onfroy that while he wasn’t a “gangster,” he might provoke a dangerous reaction from Drake. This, Padilla argued, added context to the rapper’s statements about Drake in his now-deleted Instagram post.
Onfroy had written: “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi. I’m snitching RN.” Padilla claims that Onfroy deleted the post, later claiming his account had been hacked. This post, Padilla suggested, could point to Drake’s involvement in the rapper’s murder.
Additionally, Padilla mentioned XXXTentacion’s mother, Cleopatra Bernard, who allegedly knew about the feud between her son and Drake. Padilla referenced legal documents where Bernard had alluded to this conflict.
Drake was previously subpoenaed to testify in the case and was scheduled to appear for a deposition via Zoom in February 2023. However, he did not show up. Padilla requested that the court issue an order compelling Drake to testify, stating that without such an order, it was unlikely that the rapper would cooperate. “This is one of the biggest celebrities in the world,” Padilla said. “Excluding an order from this court, we all know I will never be able to take his deposition.”
The appeal has brought Drake back into the spotlight of the case, reigniting questions about his involvement. However, it remains uncertain whether the court will consider this new information. As of now, the three men convicted of XXXTentacion’s murder remain in prison, serving life sentences.
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