The reggae fraternity and wider Jamaican group are grappling with shock and sorrow following the brutal killing of Jabari “Baba Skeng” Johnson, the son of reggae artist Jah Mason.
Johnson was gunned down on Monday in an execution-style homicide that unfolded in actual time throughout a livestream on TikTok.
The horrifying incident occurred within the neighborhood of a Store on Purple Hills Highway in St. Andrew. Based on reviews, Johnson was actively partaking followers on TikTok when a hooded man approached him from behind and fired, hitting him at the back of the top.
Johnson’s demise marks the fourth high-profile killing of a Jamaican TikTok determine in latest months, a part of a troubling pattern involving younger digital personalities focused in violent assaults. Within the final yr, Marlon “41 Busshead” Samuels was shot and killed in Montego Bay in December 2024. Xavier “Niah Gang” Fogah, 23, was murdered on Panton Lane in St. Catherine in early December, whereas Keauno “Popsy” Watson, additionally 23, was slain by armed assailants in September 2024.
The heartbreaking incident occurred simply days after Jah Mason celebrated his mom’s birthday on April 20. The reggae artist, whose actual identify is Andre Johnson, has not but issued a public assertion however is claimed to be devastated by the loss.
– Commercial –
Johnson’s killing has additional elevated tensions within the Purple Hills Highway space, which has lately seen a spike in violence — most notably the deadly police taking pictures of alleged gang chief Shaquille “Dawg Tooth” Dawkins, also referred to as “Triple Chain,” simply days prior.
Jah Mason is greatest recognized for reggae staples comparable to “My Princess Gone,” “Love Is Wonderful,” “Mi Chalwa,” and “Most Royal.” He rose to prominence within the late Nineties, using the wave of aware roots reggae alongside figures like Sizzla, Capleton, and Anthony B.
With greater than 15 albums to his credit score, Jah Mason has cemented himself as a prolific and passionate voice within the style, recognized for delivering spiritually infused messages with lyrical hearth and conviction. His 2006 album “Princess Gone…The Saga Mattress” turned a fan favourite in Europe and Africa, incomes crucial acclaim and radio rotation throughout worldwide reggae circles.