22Gz - HipHopFightClub.com

22Gz was arrested and charged with second-degree murder this week. The Brooklyn Drill rapper was hauled into jail after landing at John F. Kennedy airport on Sunday (June 12), according to the New York City Department of Corrections website, and his bond has been set at $500,000.

According to the New York Post, 22GZ (actual name Jeffrey Alexander) is facing charges in connection with a March incident inside a Marine Park, Brooklyn party hall where a 31-year-old man was shot in the left foot. Before being taken to Brookdale University Hospital for treatment, the victim gave NYPD detectives a description of the culprit.

22Gz was also charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree assault, and two charges of second-degree criminal possession of a firearm, according to police. On Monday night (June 13), he was arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court and is likely to post bond with the aid of a bondsman.

Over the years, 22Gz has had multiple run-ins with the authorities. He was charged with murdering a guy in a scuffle over a parking place in Miami Beach in 2017. Prosecutors eventually dropped the allegations, but he was incarcerated for several months before being freed.

After being discovered with a taser and a significant quantity of marijuana in a Brooklyn basement, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of marijuana, and criminal trespassing.

From the outside, the 24-year-old artist looked to be attempting to go in a new direction. He urged younger rappers not to be so direct with diss albums in a recent interview.

“All these young n-ggas, they got heat, I ain’t gon’ lie,” 22Gz began around the 2:30-mark. “They got heat. They doin’ they thing. Just gotta dumb they dissin’ down cause n-ggas don’t hear you, n-ggas straight hear the dissin’ and say fuck the whole song, ya heard? […] Like bro, a n-gga moms can’t hear that type shit. You really trying to make it or what? You playin’.”

One of the most radiant new talents to arise from Queens, New York, Pasto Flocco is at the forefront of this generation’s new wave of talented rap artists. Flocco began his solo music career in 2018 after trying his hand at basketball. Although one of the highest-ranked middle school basketball players, he shifted gears and focused his energy on music. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Famous Dex, and Migos, he’s been on an unstoppable run since the release of his first solo song, “Ball Hard,” and his breakout hit “Man Down,” which surpassed 2 million streams while being independent.

Since then, the rapper/producer released a three-track project, 3 Musketeers in 2019, followed by a bevy of mixtapes via SoundCloud. In 2020, he shared his debut album Dreams 2 Reality, spawning his viral single “Shawn M!,” which amassed over 5 million streams across DSPs and nearly 1 million YouTube views. Now with his momentum at an all-time high, Pasto Flocco unveils the official music video for “R2” featuring Brooklyn Drill maestro 22Gz. The high-octane collaboration unites two of the most innovative young voices originating from New York.

“R2,” co-produced by Pasto and J6, showcases a different style from the rising phenom. Known for his melodic musings, Pasto levels up on the hard-hitting track with defiant bars aimed directly at his naysayers. “When I became successful the people I used to fu*k with started moving shady and didn’t wanna speak to me,” says Pasto on his unapologetic new anthem. “Their jealousy fueled me and this song is about me flexin’ on them. G.O.A.T. of New York type sh*t.”