Shortly after announcing a new single with his brother, DD Osama, on social media, 14-year-old Notti Osama lost his life at the hospital due to the stab wounds he received in July 2022.
Following the incident, his cousin, Lily Ortega, shared her memories with the rapper on the internet, calling him a ‘happy’ and ‘loving’ child. His brother also paid him tribute and later talked about his death in a chat with ‘What NYC Sounds Like,’ saying:
“I was still thinking, ‘What if I stayed?’ If I just stayed with him more time, he would really be here today. If I was there in the scene, he would be here today.”
Reports suggested that Notti had a fight with a 15-year-old rival drill rapper, Kelvin Martinez, at a Manhattan subway station on the night of the incident. Further investigation revealed that before the stabbing, the late rapper had cornered and threatened Martinez with a broomstick.
So, the charges for the case went from second-degree murder to first-degree manslaughter and criminal possession, although the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office revealed that they were all dropped in October 2022.
According to a spokeswoman, the prosecutors made the decision based on witness interviews and security footage, supporting the claims of self-defense on the accused’s part.
Following Osama’s death, his fans carried out a candlelight memorial in Manhattan to pay him tribute while his family and friends posted their farewells on social media.
Soon after, his latest collaboration with DD Osama, ‘Without You,’ came out on YouTube. You can listen to it in the video below.