Houston rapper Sauce Walka was reportedly the target of a brazen drive-by shooting outside a Memphis hotel on Saturday afternoon, leaving one man dead and the rapper injured. The incident, which occurred near the FedEx Forum at approximately 2:42 p.m., has prompted a full-scale police investigation.
Sauce Walka, 34, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and is expected to recover, according to his family, who spoke with TMZ. However, the second victim, whose identity has not been officially released, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Update As Rapper Sauce Walka Targeted in Deadly Drive-By Shooting Outside Memphis Hotel
Memphis police, during a late-night press conference, confirmed that the shooting was a targeted attack. Investigators determined that multiple suspects arrived in a white four-door vehicle, approached the victims, who were standing outside a car, and opened fire without any verbal exchange. The suspects then fled the scene, leading police to believe the attack was not a random act of violence.
Reports circulating online suggest that Sayso P, an artist signed to Sauce Walka’s independent record label The Sauce Factory, was the man fatally shot. However, authorities have yet to confirm the victim’s identity.
According to local news outlet FOX13, police have identified the vehicle involved in the drive-by and are actively pursuing leads. They have also emphasized that the incident was targeted and are working diligently to apprehend the suspects.
Sauce Walka, born in Houston, began his rap career in 2007 under the name A-Walk before transitioning to his current moniker and releasing solo mixtapes in 2014. He gained notoriety in 2015 for his diss track “Wack 2 Wack,” which accused Drake of appropriating Houston’s hip-hop culture.
Beyond his music career, Sauce Walka is also known for his entrepreneurial ventures, which include a boxing gym, a retail gym, and real estate investments. He has also claimed to have turned down a multi-million dollar record deal from Jay-Z and Roc Nation to maintain his independence.
The investigation into the deadly shooting is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. The incident has sent shockwaves through the hip-hop community and raised concerns about targeted violence against artists.
