An Atlanta rapper known as Young Scooter died Friday night on his birthday while trying to run from police officers, according to authorities.
The 39-year-old apparently injured his leg after jumping two fences while running from a southeast Atlanta home, police said late Friday. An autopsy was expected to be conducted Saturday, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Young Scooter, whose real name was Kenneth Bailey, was born in Walterboro, South Carolina, and raised in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood, where he befriended fellow Atlanta rapper Future. He grew to prominence in the early 2010s, becoming a fan-favorite in the mixtape circuit.
Young Scooter’s 2013 mixtape “Street Lottery” became his breakout project, thanks in part to the lead single “Columbia.” Rick Ross, Gucci Mane and Birdman were featured on the song’s remix. He became an in-demand featured artist, appearing on songs with Future, Young Thug, Juice Wrld and Childish Gambino.
Reps for the rapper couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.
Credit: Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images
Credit: Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images
In Friday night’s incident, officers were called to a home in the 200 block of William Nye Drive after shots were fired and a woman was seen being dragged inside, Atlanta police homicide commander Lt. Andrew Smith said at a news conference Friday night.
When officers knocked on the door, a man opened it and then immediately shut it, Smith said. Two men were then seen running out of the back of the house, according to police.
One of the men returned to the house, police said. But the other man, later identified as Bailey, ran until he fell, Smith said.
“The other man jumped two fences while he was fleeing,” Smith said. “When officers located him on the other side of the fence, he appeared to have suffered an injury to his leg.”
Bailey was treated at the scene before being taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, but did not survive.
“The injury that was sustained was not via the officers on scene,” Smith said. “It was when the male was fleeing.”
Officers were not able to locate a woman inside the home, Smith said. There were also no indications anyone was shot, he said.
The GBI was asked to investigate the incident, and in a statement released Saturday afternoon, the agency confirmed that “officers noticed that Bailey’s leg was bleeding and provided medical aid” before he was later pronounced dead. The GBI said officers pursued Bailey as he “jumped over fences into adjacent yards.”
The rapper was among the first artists to sign to Future’s Freebandz label. Young Scooter has dropped over a dozen projects over the years, the most recent of which being this year’s re-release of 2015’s “Fast Lane Juugin.” On Tuesday, he appeared as a special guest for Boss Man Dlow’s concert at the Tabernacle.
Young Scooter marks the latest death in Atlanta’s rap scene within the past three years, following the passings of DJ Unk, OG Maco, Rich Homie Quan, Rico Wade, Takeoff, Trouble and Lil Keed.
Many in the city’s hip-hop community posted social media tributes in honor of the late rapper. On X, Quavo posted the video for the Migos’ 2013 track “Holmes,” which featured Young Scooter.
“Ion understand,” Quavo wrote in the caption.
On Instagram, Playboi Carti also paid his respects to Young Scooter, writing “I grew up on dis s*** SMH RIP.”
ATL Jacob, a prominent producer with Future’s Freebandz label, said Young Scooter was responsible for his producer tag.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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