Before his tragic murder on May 17th, Chinx Drugz was undeniably the face of New York City. Alongside him, a student of the game, Stacctonio was soaking up all the game he could whenever the Queens rapper would have him around. During a recent interview with Play by Play radio, Stacctonio spoke about dealing with losses in the industry and how Chinx’s death in particular broke him down to the point of wanting to step away from the music industry entirely.
I feel like everyone’s death is being televised these days. I lived with it through Chinx, and that tore me apart to the point where I gave up. Stacctonio said, “During the Cokeboys movement, when French Montana was coming up, Chinx was always there, and he was my only genuine friend in the rap game.” Stacc continued, “This is around the time Nipsey Hussle started coming to New York and we established a relationship with him where whenever he was in New York he would tap in with us.” Noticeably still heartbroken about the loss, Stacctonio surrenders, “it was like Chinx all over again.”
Lionel “Chinx” Pickens was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting at a Queens red light on May 18th, 2015. “Welcome to JFK” is Chinx’s debut album, a tribute to his home in Far Rockaway, which is ironically the same place fellow Riot Gang member and mentor Stack Bundles was murdered. Both were killed in their home borough of Queens. Stacctonio is fully aware of the potential dangers for Artist when going back home, as he revealed. “My biggest mentors were killed in the same cities that they represented, When the Yankees win the World Series they are celebrated with a parade on City Hall, when a rapper wins big and goes home, they are murdered” The cover of Stacctonio’s debut album “Staccaveli Vol.1” features a picture of Nipsey Hussle and Stacctonio embracing each other with their signature handshake. It’s important I represent them in everything I do, not just in my music but in my everyday life. I believe God puts certain people in your life for a reason and that he sends us angels disguised as regular people. I’d like to think that Chinx and Nipsey watch over me, sort of like my Guardian Angels.
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