Jacksonville, Florida, rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed on Saturday during an alleged ambush at a hotel while celebrating his 26th birthday.
Julio Foolio was regarded as a talented and upcoming rapper known for songs like “Voodoo” and “Slide.” A young drill rapper from Florida, many related to his lyrics, which spoke about the hardships of growing up in the hood. Despite his experiences, the rapper, whose real name is Charles Jones, appeared destined for mainstream success.
However, his life was cut short, his lawyer Lewis Fusco told multiple media outlets, including NBC and TMZ. In a statement, the attorney said Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones, had been in Tampa to celebrate his 26th birthday, originally on June 21.
The rapper reportedly stayed at an Airbnb but was booted out for breaching the accommodations’ maximum capacity rules. Hours before, Foolio shared on his Instagram Story that he was in Tampa. In videos, he told his followers that they’d have to be added to the pool party starting at 5:30 p.m.
The rapper appeared to be in a good mood as he took a shot with his friends.
“Appreciate everybody popping out for my birthday,” the rapper said as his friends took a shot for him. However, the Airbnb party was later shut down by the police.
“Pol!ce shut us down and kicked us out air bnb that’s crazy work,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories.
He also showed videos of him heading to an event with his entourage.
His lawyer also confirmed to TMZ that the rapper had checked into a Holiday Inn hotel. However, his move to the hotel led to his untimely demise.
According to Fusco, the rapper was ambushed and killed just outside of the hotel in the parking lot. Tampa Police confirmed that Foolio was killed during the incident. He is also believed to have been the target of the shooting, which left three (3) other people shot and injured. They are currently hospitalized in stable condition.
In the meantime, this is not the first time that Foolio has been targeted in a shooting. The rapper has survived multiple attempts on his life in his hometown over the past couple of years. Last year, he narrowly escaped from a shooting but suffered a gunshot injury to his foot.
