Julio Foolio dead: Rapper shot while celebrating birthday

Rapper Julio Foolio shot dead in Florida parking lot while celebrating 26th birthday

Rapper Julio Foolio was fatally shot in the parking lot of a Tampa hotel on Sunday morning. He was 26.

(Business Wire)

June 24, 2024 2:17 PM PT

Florida-based rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed in Tampa, Fla., over the weekend after a birthday pool party, police say. Foolio, real name Charles Jones, turned 26 on Friday.

Tampa police said they received a 911 call about 4:40 a.m. Sunday reporting a shooting at a hotel parking lot.

The day prior, Jones had shared videos on his Instagram Story of himself hosting a party at an Airbnb, according to footage obtained by Fox 13. Lawyer Lewis Fusco, who worked with Jones, told the New York Times that police later asked the “Voo Doo” rapper to leave because the gathering had exceeded occupancy limits.

Jones then relocated to Home2 Suites by Hilton in Tampa. When officers arrived, they found two vehicles with bullet holes, according to a news release by the Tampa Police Department. Police identified Jones as the deceased victim.

Three other people were injured in the shooting. They were not identified by officers, but they are in stable condition and recovering at a hospital, police said.

“Police are investigating what led up to the shooting and working to identify those involved,” the release said.

Fusco Law Group did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Fusco on Sunday mourned Jones’ death on his Instagram Story.

“While most people knew him as the controversial rapper and entertainer, I was fortunate enough to know Charles Jones, the man beyond the public persona,” Fusco wrote. “He was a kid who grew up in challenging circumstances, determined to defy the odds by any means possible and succeed in all that he did. His journey was marked by resilience and a deep-seated desire to strive for greatness.”

Jones had accumulated nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify before his death. Along with “Voo Doo,” he was known for the tracks “Play With Me” and “Dead Opps Pt. 2.”

When Jones released his mixtape “Resurrection” in April, he wrote that he had survived “multiple attempts” on his life. He said he had lost loved ones to “jail and graveyards.”

“My tape...is a reflection of everything I been threw [sic],” he said. “I hope y’all can relate.”