One man is dead, and the career of a rising rapper Superstar Pride hangs in the balance as he faces murder charges.
Superstar, whose real name is Cadarrius Pride, has been charged with first-degree in the death of 40-year-old Marcus Wheatley. The life-changing chain of events unfolded in Mississippi on Wednesday afternoon around 12:30 p.m. That is when Panola County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home on Highway 35 North. There, they found Wheatley deceased from multiple gunshot wounds, TMZ reports.
The performer turned himself in a short while later, though his motive remains under wraps. However, WREG reports that Wheatley’s grandmother Mary Ann Strong was inside the home during the shooting. She told police that the victim was Pride’s barber, and for reasons not yet confirmed, he stormed into the residence and chased Wheatley out on foot, shooting at him the entire time. Once outside, Strong says Pride continued firing at her grandson as he was on the ground. The woman revealed that Pride then threatened to shoot her as well before fleeing the scene. She believes the two may have had a fallen out after Wheatley refused to continue cutting his hair. Strong escaped the chaos unscathed.
The timing of the slaying comes as a shock to fans everywhere, as Pride was just beginning to make serious strides in the music industry. His viral hit, “Painting Pictures,” found its way to the Billboard 100 and attracted millions of views across YouTube and TikTok. Unfortunately, it looks like his tenure as a true superstar may have been cut short.
Pride is currently being held without bond.
