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.
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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.