Live by the gun, die by the gun

Yes, I’m getting into Robert Stacy McCain’s “Aspiring Rapper Update” territory here, but it was a Philly story, so I’m in control.

Abdul Vicks, 25, had a sort of rap career as “YBC Dul,” and Philly Crime Update told me he had “millions of streams” for his “songs,” if rap can even be called a song, and I don’t think it can.

Popular rapper who prosecutors say was leader of violent gang was fatally shot in Olney

Abdul Vicks, who performed as “YBC Dul,” was fatally shot Friday afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m. at 5500 North Sixth Street.

by Ellie Rushing and Robert Moran | Saturday, August 23, 2024 | 7:14 PM EDT

A popular 25-year-old rapper, who prosecutors say was the leader of a notoriously violent West Philadelphia gang, was shot and killed Friday afternoon in the city’s Olney neighborhood, a law enforcement source said.

I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked, that The Philadelphia Inquirerwho told us there were no gangs in the city, only “cliques of young men associated with certain neighborhoods and families” who sometimes had “feuds” with other cliques, used the word “gang,” especially when one of the writers of this article, Ellie Rushing, was also the first name in the nickname of that September 19, 2022 article.

Police said the shooting happened just after 3:30 p.m. on the 5500 block of North Sixth Street. The victim, identified as Abdul Vicks, was taken by private vehicle to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.

The newspaper’s source remains anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the press about the case. At the time of writing, no arrests had been made.

Prosecutors said Vicks, who operated as “YBC Dul,” was considered the leader of the YBC, or Young Bag Chasers, gang based in West Philadelphia.

Philly Crime Update also told us that the young Mr. Vicks, who will never be the older Mr. Vicks, was also known by a gang name, “Mr. Disrespectful.” It appears someone else was “disrespectful” to Mr. Vicks.

Earlier this month, 22-year-old Vicks employee Quamere Hall was arrested at the Criminal Justice Center and charged in the gunshot death of a 34-year-old man last year.

Hall, another rapper who performs as “Mere Pablo,” was at the Criminal Justice Center to show support for Arshad Curry, a fellow YBC member who was set to be sentenced in 2021 for shooting five people, three of them fatally, in 2021. Curry was sentenced to 42½ to 85 years in prison.

Last year, three other YBC members were convicted of murdering two teenagers.

Let’s face it: aside from the families of the Young Bag Chasers, this is all pretty good news. Mr. Vicks, the alleged “leader” of the gang, has been taken off the streets, permanently. Mr. Hall has been arrested for murder.

Arshad Curry, aka “Most Wanted,” Raheis Sherman, street name “F5ive,” Zaire Crawford, aka “1k” or “Murda K,” Yaseam Miles, aka “Baby Wick” or “Ya Ya”; and Semaj Nolan, aka “Reek12Hunnit,” some of them with Chaser’s gang of allies, the Young Face Arrangers, are all behind bars, most of them for decades. How can it be bad when bad guys are off the streets?