Up-and-coming rapper Raleigh Freeman III, known by his stage name Rylo Huncho, died on Wednesday, May 15th, in a heartbreaking accident.
The 17-year-old was filming a video for his social media when he accidentally shot himself.
Police in Suffolk confirmed Freeman's death and stated the cause as an "accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound."
According to The New York Post, authorities initially withheld Freeman's name, but a widely shared video on social media identified the aspiring rapper.
The disturbing video reportedly shows Freeman rapping and dancing while holding a handgun. He can be seen waving the gun around and even activating a green laser sight attached to it.
In a tragic turn of events, the video then depicts Freeman pointing the gun at his head and uttering the words, "f**k y'all n****s" before pulling the trigger.
The blast knocks him out of view, and the phone recording the scene falls to the ground.
Freeman's full name and age were confirmed by The Direct. A cousin set up a GoFundMe page titled "Support for Grieving Aunt After Tragic Loss" to help Freeman's single mother with funeral expenses.
The page describes Freeman as an only child and reveals a quote from the organizer stating, "Hello, my aunt recently lost her 17 year old son from a self inflicted gun wound to the head."
The fundraiser also sheds light on the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Freeman's death.
The organizer added, "Suicide/accidental was the cause of his death we are still trying to figure out why."
Despite his young age, Freeman was actively pursuing a music career. He had released 10 songs on streaming platforms and boasted a growing online presence with over 28,700 followers on Instagram and nearly 1,400 followers on TikTok.
He frequently posted about his music on social media, including behind-the-scenes glimpses of his creative process. Some of his songs included titles like "Money Getta," "Bag Talk," and "La la la."
In March, Freeman shared a screenshot on social media celebrating a milestone of reaching 164 monthly listeners on Spotify, with a caption that read, "trust [the] process."
His most recent song was released just three days before his tragic passing.
