Phanelli Deblasio
Phanelli Deblasio, an aspiring rapper based in New York has been gunned down near the Bronx, according to reports.
Deblasio was allegedly killed on Tuesday evening, near the building he used as a backdrop for his music video, the NY Daily News reports. He was 34-years-old.
Get to him better in his top ten-facts below.
#1 Phanelli Deblasio was his stage name
Deblasio’s real name was Melvin Batties
#2 He was shot once
Police told media, Batties was shot once near the neck, he was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he succumbed of his wounds.
#3 He is survived by his sister
37-year-old Nikki Fuller told media, her younger brother was a ‘good person’ and that he was ‘loved by everyone.’
#4 He was a father
According to his sister, Deblasio who is also described as a ‘great brother and father’ leaves behind three children, two of them twins.
#5 He had a side job
According to close friends, Batties worked at a smoothie store at Grand Central Terminal.
#6 He sang about the gang lifestyle
Batties’ video “Half A Mil,” is named after a Brooklyn rapper who died in 2003. In it, his rhymes are interpreted as unification.
#7 He was beginning to take rapping seriously
Batties performed under his stage name Phanelli Deblasio at a neighborhood festival last summer. He also did a few other stage performances and uploaded his songs on Facebook to try and go viral.
#8 He was active on social media
Phanelli Deblasio kept Facebook and Twitter accounts.
#9 He uploaded songs to Soundcloud
Other songs include ‘Come Across’ ‘Candy Crush’ ‘O.G. Bobby Johnson’ ‘Teach Me’ ‘Let’s Get It’ “Hell on Earth’
#10 Cops are yet to find his killer
A witness told media, there were six or seven shots, before two men ran south on W. 174th St. Police have not made any arrests and are still investigating the killing.
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