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Rapper Trevon Gardner, popularly known as Skilla Baby, was shot while he was traveling in his SUV on Thursday night, May 22. As per Fox2 Detroit, the shooting incident took place in the area of Redford between 8 Mile and Beech Daly, Detroit. Fox2 Detroit reported that sources told the news outlet that the incident seemed to be a case of a planned and targeted shooting.
The news outlet also noted that Skilla Baby sustained multiple injuries after the shooting. He sustained a wound on his hand, and one of the bullets from the shootout incident grazed his head, while another bullet grazed his leg.
As per Hot97, despite the injuries sustained from the bullet shots, Skilla remained alert at the time he was taken to the hospital. According to WDIV-TV Local 4, Skilla is expected to recover from the injuries sustained during the shooting incident.
The official investigation is yet to provide details about the alleged perpetrators and the motive behind the shootout.
Skilla Baby’s career explored
Detroit native Trevon Gardner earned the nickname ‘skills’ from his school basketball career. In an interview with the Detroit Metro Times, Gardner shared that his first passion in school was basketball; however, he confessed during the interview that he did not expect to become a professional basketball player.
While he remained passionate about basketball in school, Gardner shared with the news publication that it was his father who influenced him to develop a taste in music. Gardner, popularly known by his artist name Skilla Baby, added:
“My dad grew up in the Motown era, he would tell me stuff about Graystone Ballroom where all Motown singers and stuff used to go… he was a big influence on my music. He would watch TV and play the radio, so music was just always in me.”
However, it was only after Skilla lost his father at the age of 16 that he started thinking of a career in music. As per his own admission, Skilla was “homeless” after the death of his father. He further shared with Detroit Metro Times:
“It forced me to be more mature, and then I just had to fend for myself…I was staying place-to-place, I was damn near homeless. I had got kicked out the crib at like 16. My mamma had her husband. I didn’t like him and he didn’t like me.”
Skilla released her first studio album in 2019. The album, titled, Push That Shit Out Skilla earned critical reception and popularity due to its socially conscious tracks. He has also collaborated with other artists such as OMB Peezy.
Skilla has been vocal about the impact that he wishes to create through his art. He is conscious of his own past and wants to use music to inspire the youth. According to a report by Teenscreate, Skilla said:
“A lot of these kids come from broken homes, broken families, so if I do that and they know I might come to their school, they might go to school everyday...Let them know that I’m still a real person. They could reach and touch me.”
Skilla’s first album skyrocketed his music career to new heights. He went on to release hit albums, such as Crack Music and Skilla Why You Ain’t Drop Nothing?
At the heart of his music lies his desire to uplift his community. In 2023, CBS reported that before going on to perform at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre near his hometown, Skilla made a stop at the locality where he spent his early years. Sharing his views with the news outlet, he said:
“Detroit made me me, Like, everything about Detroit, I try to represent so Detroit is Detroit. It's my favorite place to be and I don't want to be nowhere else…Detroit vs. everybody, that's what I stand for. I'm doing anything to build up my community and my people. They love me, I love them, and we're all here together"
Skilla Baby’s lyrics also focus on themes of women empowerment, a characteristic that has made the rapper popular. In his interview with the Detroit Metro Times, the rapper shared:
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“I ain’t gonna lie, everybody that come to my shows be like, ‘Yo front row is full of girls!’ I thought that’s how everybody’s front row look…I don’t know where that came from though. I don’t get that part, I just be living my regular life.”
Skilla Baby has been conscious that his success could provoke hate. But the rapper, as per Teenscreate, called it a normal fact of his life.
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