SoundCloud favorite Ugly God, whose real name is Royce Cornell Davison-Rodriguez, finds himself at the center of a shooting allegation. Gulfport police, responding to a shooting on June 29, discovered 50-year-old Renaldo Delavallade, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, inside a vehicle.
While authorities have confirmed a suspect is in custody and cooperating, they haven’t publicly named Davison-Rodriguez. Yet, a storm brews on social media. Relatives of Delavallade are vocal in pointing fingers at the rapper. A TikTok video recently unveiled an alleged police report listing Davison-Rodriguez as the prime suspect, alleging the use of a small-caliber handgun. In addition, claims circulate that Davison-Rodriguez boasted about his actions online. Accusations of judicial interference also swirl, suggesting a familial connection to a local judge, Damon Reese, may be protecting him.
The 26-year-old rapper soared to fame with his 2016 hit “Water.” He cemented his rising star status a year later, joining XXL‘s Freshman Class alongside Playboi Carti, MadeinTYO, XXXTentacion, and others. His inaugural studio album, Bumps & Bruises, dropped in 2019, charting at No. 46 on the Billboard Album 200. Earlier this year, fans welcomed an independently released EP, Two Place. Now, the trajectory of his music career hangs in the balance as these allegations loom large.
Fans on social media are scraping for more information on this bizarre case. One tweeter said, “Ugly God being a murderer was not something I expected.” While another asserted, “Lol all them Ugly God reports leaving the part out where dude he killed was holding his mom at gunpoint, but uh whatever gets yuh clicks, [I guess].” Social media users are forming an opinion as more details arrive.
One poignant TikTok video from tyzlyfe, believed to belong to Delavallade’s sister, underscored the gravity of the situation. Accompanying a solemn video from Delavallade’s funeral, the caption lamented, “Ugly God… Our justice system had let me down.” References to Judge Reese’s potential influence also peppered the post.
Judge Reese’s career shift to the bench in December 2022 came after a dedicated 15-year stint at the Harrison County Public Defender’s Office. Currently, any direct involvement of Reese in the ongoing investigation remains unverified.
Repeated efforts to get comments from Davison-Rodriguez’s team and Gulfport police were disregarded. As the community waits with bated breath, this story continues to unfold.