It’s the year 2022, the world is recovering from the COVID pandemic and finding back some sort of balance. Artists finally have the freedom to let their creativity shine without being locked down or restricted from performing in crowds. December 31st 2022, the Queen of Memphis Lola Mitchell was one such artist enjoying her life.
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Her alias Gangsta Boo was known in the industry as one belonging to a 90s legend that paved the way for female artists of the future.
That final night of the year, Gangsta Boo along with her brother Marcus Curtis were out in Memphis Tennessee to enjoy a show by fellow Memphis legends 8Ball and MJG https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (2:35-2:45)
Gangsta Boo was also there for more than enjoying from the floor. She was also carded to perform and give fans that music that made her respected in hip-hop. Her final posts online were clips from that venue before the show kicked off https://youtu.be/UdduHZoq0PM (0:00-0:40)
She’d have one last conversation with her lifelong partner Emmet Flores before getting into performance mode
Flores would end the conversation by telling the love of his life Gangsta Boo he loved her and to be safe. She would share a heart-warming gesture sending him a picture of them together back on new years in 2017
and he would send her back a picture before they finished conversing that night
They were to be reunited on Tuesday January 3rd 2023 when he was supposed to pick her up, but that day would only arrive for one of the pair, Gangsta Boo would lose her life before they could meet once more https://www.localmemphis.com/article/features/partner-producer-dj-memphis-female-rap-icon-gangsta-boo-honor-legacy/522-0a490959-f552-40ca-a874-3de60b24c42a (2:54-3:10)
The concert energy filled and the night was moving along without a hitch, but that was about to change as things were about to take a dark turn. Somewhere along the line, Gangsta Boo and her brother decided to indulge in some paraphernalia. Everyone has their vices, but some vices come with a higher price than others, a physical price.
Gangsta Boo and her brother would allegedly partake in what was supposed to be cocaine, but within this batch they got was rumored to be something mixed in. Reports would state that her brother would actually overdose that night and had to be hospitalized. Luckily, his system was able to be flushed and he was revived from the near-death experience
Gangsta Boo however, who was also allegedly partaking in the dangerous paraphernalia, wasn’t as fortunate as her brother. Sunday, January 1st 2023, new year’s day, officers responded just before 2:20 p.m. Sunday to a person-down call to a home on Raines Road in the Whitehaven neighborhood and unfortunately, it was there they found Lola Mitchel aka Gangsta Boo unresponsive on her porch and was unable to resuscitate her https://youtu.be/rRUrSvpGxMA (6:22-6:47)
Her other half, unbeknownst to what had occurred was watching a game while he awaited Tuesday’s arrival where they would be reunited. But, that reality was about to be shattered with a direct message on his Instagram which would turn his world upside down informing him of Gangsta Boo’s passing https://youtu.be/0JHKbZ_Rp3I (3:46-4:13)
It was a moment that broke him to his very core, she was his heartbeat https://youtu.be/0JHKbZ_Rp3I (3:19-3:39)
Just like that, it went from enjoying the thing she loved most, music, to becoming one of the biggest losses in music history. At the time, it was unaware what might even be the reason for her passing. Onlookers speculated a botched robbery, an orchestrated murder, or bad drugs https://youtu.be/GXzSg4cOYJ8 (1:05-1:16)
Clips of the police presence began flooding social media with everyone in disbelief of the what they were witnessing https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-8mEkGhm2yY Soon, news outlets globally had one story on their screen – the death of the hip-hop icon Gangsta Boo https://youtu.be/KbB7MmZOpKM https://youtu.be/7N3WUxehSfA (0:40-1:00)
The music industry collectively felt the pain of her loss and it was evident in the outpour of condolences and praise for the lost legend
Her close friend Daz Dillinger recalls the messages she sent just the night before. She sounded so happy, full of life just showing love https://youtu.be/1tzxT4Ofx_M (0:49-1:22) But, at the end of those messages there were hints foreshadowing what was around the corner the next couple hours of her life. Gangsta Boo tried to finish a sentence but stopped and uttered the statement “no dude I’m high” https://youtu.be/dzjZAAziPgY (0:46-0:59)
Her passing was unexpected, she was lively, always fun and bringing smiles on everyone’s faces https://youtu.be/LKZLHUSdfGs (0:00-0:48) At the time Gangsta Boo was making her return to music and made it known in a Billboard interview that just occurred not long ago in December 2022. When asked about what’s next in her future, Gangsta Boo made it known she was working on a new project called ‘The BooPrint’ and was hopeful it would be ready for release in the first quarter of 2023.
Gangsta Boo was collaborating with A-List producers like Drumma Boy and expressed her excitement to work with the new generation of female Emcees coming out of the city.
At the time her latest single “Sucker Free” gave fans a taste of that Gangsta Boo they loved until the project’s arrival https://youtu.be/4cqzf2UpTxo
Gangsta Boo was about to continue her legacy as an all-time great Emcee, but her death snatched it all away. Investigators would reveal there wasn’t yet an official cause of death but they found narcotics and unofficially the reason for her passing was allegedly due to an overdose caused by fentanyl-laced drugs https://youtu.be/naeJTDYQjqY (0:26-0:32)
https://pagesix.com/2023/01/02/three-6-mafias-gangsta-boo-died-from-possible-overdose/
Her former 3 6 mafia crewmate Crunchy Black who was like a brother to her
would later do a VLAD TV interview where he appeared to confirm details surrounding her passing with the addition of some pretty shocking information as to how she received drugs laced with fentanyl. According to Crunchy Black, the drug she took which had the fentanyl mixed into it was cocaine https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (2:35-2:55) This is where some very dark details began to emerge from the interview. Crunchy Black, knowing how loved and respected Gangsta Boo was in the city of Memphis, was puzzled as to who would give her cocaine laced with fentanyl. From his perspective, he believed it had to be someone who was out to do her wrong and had a personal vendetta to harm her https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (2:56-3:14)
That was an eye opener to how Gangsta Boo’s final hours came to be, but what he said next narrowed down that speculation to a single individual, an individual the average persons would not normally suspect to be capable of something like that. Crunchy Black suspected her brother, Marcus Curtis had something to do with purposefully giving her the cocaine laced with fentanyl https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (3:42-3:51) Why would he make such a serious allegation? Crunchy Black would go into further detail of what was happening behind the scenes between Gangsta Boo and her brother that led to his alleged ill-feelings towards her.
Turns out, Marcus Curtis blames Gangsta Boo for his past incarceration and was upset she couldn’t always send him money. He went as far as saying his sister set him up, according to Crunchy Black https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (4:23-4:37) https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (3:16-3:39)
The incident Crunchy Black was referencing dates back to July 23rd 2009, where Lola Mitchell aka Gangsta Boo and her brother were charged in connection with the armed robbery of a Dollar General Store in Olive Branch, Mississippi. She was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Reports state that a male suspect confronted a female clerk at gunpoint outside the store.
The female clerk and the male clerk were then ordered to put the cash from the safe in the register in shopping bags, before being ordered to lie down on the floor.
Curtis was arrested on December 4th by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and charged with armed robbery. According to the Olive Branch police, the weapon used in the robbery was tied to another crime, which lead to Curtis’ capture.
Mitchell aka Gangsta Boo turned herself in to Olive branch authorities fter a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was released on $100,000 bond while Curtis was extradited from Memphis and booked into the DeSoto County Jail on $100,000 bail
https://www.actionnews5.com/story/11658338/memphis-rapper-gangsta-boo-charged-in-store-robbery/
Gangsta Boo would give a public statement denying any involvement with the accusations and distance herself from her brother Marcus Curtis as she stood unwavering of her innocence https://youtu.be/GVpBAgcjgFs
If Crunchy Black is to be correct, this is the incident that got him jail time which Marcus Curtis allegedly blames his sister Gangsta Boo for. Crunchy Black however, states that Gangsta Boo isn’t at fault and he was the one who did what he did instead of putting time into his music career and build something as his sister did https://youtu.be/Dp1H_zuTYLY (4:39-5:15)
Only time will tell if there’s anyone that played a role in purposefully lacing her drugs as the detectives continue investigating the circumstances around her death. Many would recall the moment that could have been a changing point in her life that may have avoided this fate. Gangsta Boo and her partner were cast members on the reality tv show Marriage Boot Camp Hip-Hop edition
In one episode, the psychiatrist on the show, Dr. Ish Major
Would call a meeting with Gangsta Boo and her partner Emmet Flores.
The reason was that he found what was a bag of white substance which he concluded was drugs and questioned Gangsta Boo if it belonged to her https://youtu.be/XMhUEOC9DfI (0:00-0:28) Gangsta Boo would become defensive and get up to leave and be done with the show due to the allegations the drugs were hers https://youtu.be/XMhUEOC9DfI (0:29-1:10) Dr. Ish Major would then ask Gangsta Boo if she had problems in the past with substance abuse and seeing she was defensive, he decided to open the floor for her to get help by handing her an envelope which he said were contacts that could help if ever she needed it https://youtu.be/XMhUEOC9DfI (1:13-1:49)
Gangsta Boo would later appear in one of the leading hip-hop podcasts Drink Champs
where she blasts Dr. Ish Major for his antics and stated it was all a setup and she doesn’t have a problem with substance abuse https://youtu.be/WlP_Fn2xPc4 (49:01-50:00) https://youtu.be/WlP_Fn2xPc4 (51:22-51:49) Paying closer attention to something she said while expressing her feelings on the matter, it appeared that she wasn’t denying using cocaine, but more so that they lied saying she left that bag there. At a certain part she states when she was accused she was wondering if something slipped out or if they found a dollar in the laundry https://youtu.be/WlP_Fn2xPc4 (50:40-50:54) For reference on what the statement is relating to, lines of cocaine are often inhaled through a rolled up bill
Gangsta Boo further expressed that she’s a grown woman and even if she was to do something it would be tucked away in a private place not just out in the open like that https://youtu.be/WlP_Fn2xPc4 (50:55-51:04)
Maybe if the Dr hadn’t used the opportunity to also boost the shows ratings and had that meeting off the record away from the camera, Gangsta Boo would have been more receptive to his gesture of helping her overcome her substance abuse, but with the approach he took for the entire world to see, it’s understandable why Gangsta Boo reacted the way she did. Addiction isn’t something to manipulate for reality TV, and it’s hard for someone fighting that internal battle to admit they need help much less when a camera is pointed in their face. A little more tact by Dr Ish Major and maybe, just maybe, Gangsta Boo would have accepted assistance and be here today.
If you’re fighting with addiction and substance abuse, please reach out to a professional for help. Your life has a greater purpose and there are people who love you. Life is hard and sometimes we fall into darkness. Gangsta Boo had recently lost her father and fell into depression, so that could have increased her dependency on drugs in order to cope https://youtu.be/Sqc9RHVJdEo (1:22-1:43) The music industry lost a true pioneer and a good soul. At the very least, let her passing be motivation to seek help in overcoming your trauma and depression.
Rest in peace Gangsta Boo https://youtu.be/0JHKbZ_Rp3I (3:19-3:38) https://youtu.be/WlP_Fn2xPc4 (2:42:00-2:43:46) https://youtu.be/QPNqGEbDZ0M (2:32-3:36)
