Reports have come in that Coke Boys rapper Chinx was shot and killed earlier this morning (May 17) in a drive-by. The rapper, born Lionel Pickens, was 31 years old.
ABC reports that the artist had been driving around Queens this morning when another vehicle approached the Porsche and opened fire around 4 a.m. Pickens was shot several times in the torso, while his passenger was also injured in the shooting.
Though the rapper was pronounced dead, the front-seat passenger is currently in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital. Police have yet to identify the gunman, and have not established a motive for the shooting.
Chinx had originally gone by the name Chinx Drugz, and had released several mixtapes since 2009. This included working as part of Coke Boys with French Montana, as well as delivering a series of solo tapes under the title Cocaine Riot. The fifth Cocaine Riot landed at the end of 2014.
Recently, Chinx had popped up on French Montana's "Off the Rip" single. He had also apparently been putting work into a full-length studio debut for Montana's Coke Boys imprint called Welcome to JFK.
UPDATE: A number of artists and contemporaries have begun to give their condolences to the late Chinx over Twitter. You can find a few of these down below.
ABC reports that the artist had been driving around Queens this morning when another vehicle approached the Porsche and opened fire around 4 a.m. Pickens was shot several times in the torso, while his passenger was also injured in the shooting.
Though the rapper was pronounced dead, the front-seat passenger is currently in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital. Police have yet to identify the gunman, and have not established a motive for the shooting.
Chinx had originally gone by the name Chinx Drugz, and had released several mixtapes since 2009. This included working as part of Coke Boys with French Montana, as well as delivering a series of solo tapes under the title Cocaine Riot. The fifth Cocaine Riot landed at the end of 2014.
Recently, Chinx had popped up on French Montana's "Off the Rip" single. He had also apparently been putting work into a full-length studio debut for Montana's Coke Boys imprint called Welcome to JFK.
UPDATE: A number of artists and contemporaries have begun to give their condolences to the late Chinx over Twitter. You can find a few of these down below.
Rip Chinx man. Smoke extra for da homie and his fam today.
— Cameron (@wizkhalifa) May 17, 2015Damn bro ! Always hate waking up to bad news! Gone too soon homie! @ChinxMusic u was a real 1 💯 never forgotten bro ! pic.twitter.com/rhenCrfVZV
— Ty Dolla $ign (@tydollasign) May 17, 2015Rip Chinx #yay pic.twitter.com/AfN0K5LQWy
— MIGOS (@Migos) May 17, 2015Can't let these suckas shatter ya dreams! RIP CHINX!
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) May 17, 2015🙏 God bless you your family your team ..Chinx is a good man good heart good friend .. Sending my… https://t.co/KOxZIfqSpt
— DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) May 17, 2015Damn. RIP Chinx Drugs. What a good dude. I hate seeing violence cut down young people like this. Condolences to French Montana & family.
— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) May 17, 2015I am heartbroken about the murder of Chinx...I spent the last week getting so excited about his future...this is beyond tragic.. RIP
— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) May 17, 2015