Superstar Pride (real name Cadarrius Pride) has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Mississippi.
According to WAPT16, Pride has been accused of shooting and killing 40-year-old Marcus Wheatley on Wednesday afternoon (July 19) in his hometown of Panola County.
The shooting was reported around 12:30 p.m. ET at a home on Highway 35 North where Wheatley was discovered unconscious from bullet wounds.
Superstar Pride was quickly identified as a suspect and he cut the manhunt short as authorities were notified the 20-year-old rapper would be turning himself in.
“During the course of the investigation, Chief Deputy Reginald Lantern was contacted by family members and notified that Pride wanted to surrender,” said Officer Clinton Roberson.
Pride was booked on first-degree murder charges and is reportedly being held without bond at the Panola County Detention Center.
Superstar Pride burst onto the rap scene with his candid 2023 track “Painting Pictures,” which exploded with the help of TikTok via United Masters and pushed its way to peak at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year.
Per the RIAA, “Painting Pictures” is certified gold and the official music video boasts over 27 million views. The track’s momentum helped bring it to No. 1 on Urban Radio for the week ending May 11.
Although, “Painting Pictures” was nearly derailed when it was pulled from streaming services due to an uncleared Faith Evans sample. Luckily for Pride, the track was re-uploaded days later.
“The process of getting that cleared was crazy. It kinda disappointed me that it even was taken down. For the record to even come down was kinda harsh But to go back and get it put back up was respect,” he told Billboard in May.
“I was thankful and grateful for it being put back up on platforms. Going about getting that record cleared was not easy.”
Superstar Pride returned with his latest single on July 14 which is eerily titled “No Gun No Knife.”