Rapper Young Greatness Fatally Shot

Rapper Young Greatness was fatally shot in New Orleans on Monday, Oct. 29 outside of a Waffle House, WWL-TV reports.

Young Greatness, real name Theodore Jones, was shot and killed early on Monday morning at around 1:35 a.m., according to the New Orleans Police Department.

Jones was found with a single gunshot wound and pronounced dead at the scene. The rapper’s car was also stolen from the area.

Jones’ friend and fellow rapper P Town Moe said the shooting was unexpected.

“You wouldn’t expect that coming happening with him,” he said. “Dude wasn’t into nothing but his music and his daughter … Wasn’t into nothing else man.”

A preliminary police report indicates that authorities are searching for two suspects after gathering information at the scene in an effort to determine suspects and motive for the shooting.

The 34-year-old was best known for 2015’s “Moolah,” released by Atlanta’s Quality Control Records, with the song eventually finding a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2016, Jones performed the song on The Late Show with Stepen Colbert. After that song was released, Jones was signed to Cash Money records, where he was mentored by Brian “Birdman” Williams. Other artists on Cash Money include Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj.

“The first time I heard him, I knew he was going to be big,” Birdman said in a statement released after Jones’ signing, via Rolling Stone. “He’s got a grasp of melody that few artists have. It’s the sound of the future.”

Jones was born in New Orleans but moved to Houston after Hurricane Katrina. Jones’ mother, Jeanine Rose, told WDSU that her son was in New Orleans for a funeral and was supposed to have returned to Atlanta on Sunday.

“It’s too many mothers making slow walks to sad tombs,” Rose said.

Photo Credit: Getty / Prince Williams