Bay Area rap fans say they’re feeling shocked and devastated after an up-and-coming San Francisco rap artist was shot and killed in Dublin over the weekend.
“He’s a Bay Area legend, nothing can ever replace Lil Yase,” said fan Aaron Hein.
Police say the 26-year-old, whose real name was Mark Antonyyo Alexander, was shot multiple times early Saturday morning, but who did it and why remains a mystery.
In fact, it’s not even clear why he was in the East Bay.
“We really don’t understand why he was out here in Dublin,” said Captain Nate Schmidt of the Dublin Police Department. “We know he lives in San Francisco, has a production company in Novato so what was the tie to the city of Dublin.”
Police found his car parked along this street. They say he was shot outside his car on the 5100 block of Iron Horse Parkway. He flagged down a Good Samaritan who drove him to the hospital.
“There was limited conversation they had as they were going to the hospital however he was in and out of consciousness,” said Schmidt.
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Police say the Good Samaritan indicated the rapper mentioned someone tried to rob him of his watch, a theory they’re looking into.
“I believe this was targeted. I believe the person was at least somebody who knew Mr. Alexander,” said Schmidt.
Though Lil Yase rapped about guns and street life, his friend and business partner tells NBC Bay Area he was nothing like his lyrics, calling him a smart and genuine artist willing to work with anyone.
Fans say they’re crushed
“We will never know his full potential sadly,” said fan Aaron Hein. “It’s a life lost too soon.”
Dublin police are scouring through social media and phone records hoping for clues. They say this is just the second homicide in their city since 2009, and it’s all hands on deck to solve it.
