Trinidad Dancehall Artist Chucky Blanco Killed In Police-Involved Shooting

Yet another Trinibad artist has fallen victim to gun violence.

This time it’s Chucky Blanco, who was fatally shot during a confrontation with police in his native Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday, according to reports.  He was 18 years old and known for songs like KRR, Nah Play, MURDER, and Bad Up & Bully.

The upcoming Dancehall artist, whose real name is Jaheim Joseph, was shot during a police operation in Mango Alley, the Trinidad Express newspaper reported.  According to the police, the shooting took place when officers attached to the Inter-Agency Task Force approached a group of men in Mango Alley.

The cops say the officers took cover when one of the men pointed a gun at them.

Blanco was wounded in the gunfire that ensued and then taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The police also said that two firearms were recovered from the scene of the shooting.

One of Chucky’s latest singles was the self-produced, Long Live B Man. It was released on September 12 as a tribute to a fallen associate, Anthon “Boombie” Boney aka B Man, an alleged gang leader who was killed just a few weeks ago.  “Some say you a criminal, some say a gang you a lead. But ‘nuff ah dem don’t know how much ghetto youths you a feed,” Chucky sang in the track.

“Yuh singing a song for your fallen soldier den boom…you gone to,” commented one user today.

“Jah no, was [not] expecting to come type ..RiP..chucky rest up king u and B man in better place,” added another fan.

In protest over the killing, residents of Mango Alley, Laventille took to burning tires and blocking the roadway in the community on Sunday morning to demand justice.

Gun violence has claimed the lives of several upcoming Trinidad artists in recent times.

18-year-old Brad Bailey (Bradbadlikethat) was shot and killed in March 2021, after allegedly issuing a threat to a gang. In July 2020, 26-year-old Dancehall artist Rebel Sixx, whose real name was Kyle Roberts, was killed after he was shot several times during a home invasion.

Meanwhile, in Jamaica, Dancehall artist Kashmar, 30, was killed by unknown assailants in Clarendon on Thursday.

In March 2021, female singer D British, 19, was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend in Clarendon.  Earlier that month, Mobay deejay Fadagad, 26, was shot and killed in Albion, St James.