HOUSTON – Local up-and-coming rapper Obie Noir was gunned down in downtown Houston early Monday morning, police said. His death follows a recent trend of Texas rappers killed by gun violence.
Derrick McKinney, the CEO and founder of independent record label company Loud Muzik, said he was upset to hear that Obie Noir, whose real name is Xavier Roberson, was shot by two people who police said ambushed him on Fannin Street near Tuam Street.
“I’m tired of hearing about. I’m tired of seeing it. I’m tired of that being breaking news,” said McKinney, who manages Houston legends Lil Flip and Z-Ro. “It’s heartbreaking. And not just from the music community, but just as a black man, seeing another brother gunned down.”
McKinney is familiar with the heartbreak of having been around or worked with other known names struck by gun violence. Nipsey Hustle was killed outside of his Los Angeles clothing store back in March 2019. Dallas rapper MO3 was chased down and fatally shot in broad daylight on a highway. While Lil Boosie is recovering after being shot at a MO3′s vigil.
Last week, another local up-and-coming rapper from Houston Chucky Trill was killed in a shooting in Atlanta before All-Star weekend.
More than just rappers, McKinney wants people to realize they’re someone’s loved ones.
”I don’t want to correlate rap with the violence, because there’s violence in every industry. It just so happens that ours is broadcast and unfortunately it feels like it’s more celebrated,” McKinney said.
McKinney believes that if the positive often un-broadcasted elements of rap artists’ lives were more celebrated, it could help end the violent trend.
”I would implore the media to shine a light on these guys while they are here and maybe that might be the exposure that they needed to remove them from certain situations,” he said.
Police continue to search for the suspects involved in the death of Obie Noir.
Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked to call the HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600 or crime stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.