No, Drake did not kill XXXTentacion. The rapper, whose legal name was Jahseh Onfroy, was shot and killed on June 18, 2018, during a robbery outside a motorcycle dealership in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Four men were arrested, charged, and convicted for the murder, and during their 2023 trial a Broward County judge ruled there was “zero evidence” tying Drake to the crime.1Rolling Stone. Drake Will Not Sit Deposition XXXTentacion Murder Trial The idea that Drake was somehow involved is an internet conspiracy theory built on a public feud and a deleted Instagram post, and it has been rejected by the court, by prosecutors, and by people who were close to XXXTentacion.
Who Actually Killed XXXTentacion
On June 18, 2018, the 20-year-old rapper was leaving Riva Motorsports in Deerfield Beach when an SUV blocked his BMW in the parking lot. Two masked gunmen jumped out, confronted him at the driver’s window, and shot him. They took a Louis Vuitton bag containing $50,000 in cash that Onfroy had just withdrawn from a bank.2NBC Miami. 3 Convicted in South Florida Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion Sentenced to Life in Prison
Prosecutors established that the killing was a robbery gone wrong. Four men had set out that day to commit robberies and stopped at the motorcycle shop to buy a mask. When they spotted XXXTentacion inside, they decided to target him, waited for him to leave, and carried out the armed robbery that ended in his death.3Newsday. Fourth XXXTentacion Killer Gets Reduced Sentence After Taking Plea Deal
Three of the men were convicted at trial in March 2023 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Michael Boatwright was identified as the primary shooter, Trayvon Newsome as the second gunman, and Dedrick Williams as the ringleader and getaway driver.2NBC Miami. 3 Convicted in South Florida Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion Sentenced to Life in Prison The fourth defendant, Robert Allen, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery with a firearm, testified against the others, and was sentenced in May 2023 to seven years followed by 20 years of probation.4NBC Miami. Suspect Who Took Plea Deal in Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion Sentenced
Evidence at trial included surveillance footage of the shooting, cellphone and Bluetooth data placing the defendants near the scene, photos from their phones showing them flashing cash on the night of the killing, and Boatwright’s fingerprints on the driver’s-side door of Onfroy’s BMW.5WUNC. A Jury Convicts 3 Men of the Robbery and Murder of Rapper XXXTentacion6WSVN. Suspects in Rapper XXXTentacion’s Death About to Face Trial Nothing in the evidence or in Allen’s testimony pointed to anyone outside the four defendants.3Newsday. Fourth XXXTentacion Killer Gets Reduced Sentence After Taking Plea Deal
Where the Drake Theory Came From
The theory rests on two things: a public feud and a deleted social media post.
The feud began in early 2017, after Drake released More Life. XXXTentacion accused Drake of copying the flow from his song “Look At Me!” on the track “KMT.” In a March 2017 appearance on The Breakfast Club, he criticized Drake for “taking my shit” instead of supporting younger artists. Drake denied it, calling the accusation “crazy.”7The Sun. XXXTentacion’s Feud With Drake Explained
Then, in May 2018, about a month before he was killed, XXXTentacion posted an Instagram story reading: “If anyone tries to kill me it was @champagnepapi. I’m snitching RN.” Champagnepapi is Drake’s Instagram handle. XXXTentacion deleted the post shortly after and said his account had been hacked.8Miami Herald. XXXTentacion Murder Trial When he was murdered weeks later, that deleted post became the seed of the conspiracy theory.
Fans have also mined Drake’s later lyrics for supposed references. His 2018 song “I’m Upset” includes the lines “SMS, Triple X / That’s the only time I ever shoot below the neck” and a mention of “$50,000 on my head,” which some listeners connected to the $50,000 stolen during the robbery. A 2022 collaboration with 21 Savage contains the line “If he held his tongue on that Live, he’d be alive again, damn.”7The Sun. XXXTentacion’s Feud With Drake Explained Lyrics are not evidence of a crime, but they have kept the rumor alive online.
How the Theory Was Raised and Rejected at Trial
During the 2023 murder trial, defense attorney Mauricio Padilla, representing Dedrick Williams, tried to make the Drake angle part of his case. In opening arguments he cited the deleted Instagram post and argued that police had failed to investigate Drake or the feud, telling jurors detectives avoided the rapper because it didn’t “comport with their version and their narrative.”9Los Angeles Times. Drake Deposition XXXTentacion Murder Trial
Padilla also subpoenaed Drake for a deposition. Drake missed a scheduled deposition on January 27, 2023, and a judge briefly threatened him with contempt.10Miami Herald. Drake Won’t Have to Testify in XXXTentacion Murder Trial Drake’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, fought the subpoena, arguing that Drake had no relevant knowledge, was not named in any investigative report, and that compelling him to appear would be “unreasonable and oppressive” and would “add more layers of celebrity and notoriety to a tragic and unfortunate event.” Cohen also said the subpoena had been improperly served, because Drake’s California security team refused to accept the documents.11NBC Miami. Drake Yet to Be Served With New Subpoena in XXXTentacion Murder Trial
On February 24, 2023, Broward County Judge Michael Usan ruled that Drake did not have to sit for a deposition, finding there was “zero evidence” of his involvement in the murder.1Rolling Stone. Drake Will Not Sit Deposition XXXTentacion Murder Trial Prosecutors called the defense’s attempt to drag Drake into the case a “Hail Mary” designed to manufacture reasonable doubt.12NBC Miami. Rapper Drake Won’t Be Questioned in XXXTentacion Murder Trial, Broward Judge Says Robert Allen, the cooperating defendant who testified for the prosecution, said he had never met Drake and denied any involvement by the rapper.13HipHopDX. Drake XXXTentacion Disses DJ Scheme
What People Close to XXXTentacion Say
The people who knew Onfroy have been direct. Ski Mask the Slump God, one of his closest collaborators, wrote of the theory: “Whoever Believe This Stupid Shit Too Deep In The YouTube Conspiracy Rabbit Hole Go Outside Touch Grass My N***a.”14Complex. Ski Mask the Slump God Drake XXXTentacion DJ Scheme, another member of XXXTentacion’s inner circle, agreed that the murder conspiracy was baseless. Scheme added that he still resents Drake for what he described as disrespectful lyrics after the killing, writing that “after my brother died all Drake did was throw shots to look more gangster. So to wrap things up it’s still f**k Drake.” He also said Ski Mask’s dismissal of the theory came after Drake personally told Ski Mask “he didn’t do it.”15Complex. DJ Scheme Drake XXXTentacion Conspiracy Theory
That distinction matters. The people with the most personal reason to want answers about XXXTentacion’s death separate their feelings about Drake from the question of who killed their friend. On the question the searcher is asking, they agree with the court: the four men convicted are the ones who did it. Three are serving life sentences. The fourth is serving a reduced sentence for cooperating. A Florida judge reviewed the claim that Drake was involved and found no evidence to support it.