MEMPHIS, Tenn. — MPD has confirmed rapper Gangsta Boo, whose real name was Lola Mitchell, was found dead at a home in Whitehaven New Year’s Day.
“Once you knew her, you couldn’t do anything but love her,” Charmeal Neely-Alexander, a close friend of the artist’s, said. “She was just everything we needed in the music and everything you need in a friend.”
Neely-Alexander said the artist was staying with her when she died. FOX13 spoke to her to hear about her friendship with Gangsta Boo and the days leading up to her death.
She said Gangsta Boo, whom her family called Auntie Lola, would stay at her house every time she came home to Memphis. She had no idea this holiday season’s visit would be her last.
Gangsta Boo, a member of Three Six Mafia and a rap pioneer, was beloved by fans around the world for her iconic lines in songs like “Tear da Club Up ‘97,” “Where Dem Dollars At?!” and many more. She appeared with the group for their Verzuz battle last year.
To people like Neely-Alexander, though, she was much more than an artist; she was like family.
“That night, January first, will forever be embedded in our hearts,” she said.
Neely-Alexander said she was close friends with Boo for decades. On New Year’s Day, fans, friends and family of the artist flocked to her home as police investigated her death.
She said her niece found the rapper’s body.
“It touched on a whole lot of levels since I had seen it before,” she said. “I was hoping that it wouldn’t get to that. You just dial 911 and hope that they can help.”
She told FOX13 that she accompanied the rapper to Railgarten on New Year’s Eve to see 8Ball and MJG. Video posted to Facebook shows Gangsta Boo take to the stage to perform lines from her song with Run the Jewels, titled “Love Again,” in what would be her final on-stage performance.
Beyond her music, Neely-Alexander said she would remember the artist for being a positive influence on her daughter and showing the world the best Memphis had to offer.
“When she said something about Memphis, you could really feel it,” she said. “That’s something that I always enjoyed about her.”
Friends of the artist are hoping to see the city pay tribute to her. They have a star on Beale Street in mind.
MPD said no foul play is suspected in the death and autopsy results are pending.
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