Jacksonville rapper Hakeem Robinson, age 26, known on stage as Ksoo, is standing trial for the 2020 death of Charles “Lil Buck” McCormick Jr. Reports by News 4 Jax state that his father, Abdul Robinson Sr., has agreed to testify against him. This testimony comes under a plea deal with the state. Robinson Sr. took the stand and was shown video footage of the shooting. In court, he paused, looked emotional, and said the person seen shooting was his son. When asked by the prosecutor to name him, he replied, “Hakeem.”
He also said he made the decision based on his health. He told the court he learned on June 25 that his kidneys were failing. He further said that he needs to be there for his two 6‑year‑olds and his 8‑year‑old daughter, and that he wants to take them to events like the daddy‑daughter dance. He said testifying against his son is:
“the hardest decision I’ve had to make.”
Robinson Sr. said that as part of his deal, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. This is instead of a possible 60 years for charges including accessory after the fact and fleeing from law enforcement.
Ksoo's father’s testimony in court
News 4 Jax also stated that Abdul Robinson Sr. testified under oath that he helped two men escape after the shooting. He said he took their clothes and set them on fire to help them avoid capture.
He also spoke about the motive for the killing and said that both of his sons, Ksoo and Abdul Jr., were upset by a diss song that McCormick had made about their group. His group, ATK, had a rivalry with McCormick’s group, known as 6Block. Under cross‑examination, Robinson Sr. was questioned by defense lawyers who suggested he was testifying mainly to protect himself, and he admitted to that.
Additional witnesses and evidence
Another key witness, Dominique “Butta” Barner, age 31, testified that he drove the others to the scene on the day McCormick was killed. News 4 Jax reports that Barner admitted to a plea deal. He said the plan was to kill McCormick because of the song. He drove past McCormick’s address, found on a public website, and waited with others outside McCormick’s apartment.
Barner described how they later followed McCormick to a plaza in a stolen Nissan Altima. He said Ksoo jumped out and shot at McCormick as he tried to flee, chased him, and killed him. Barner did not see the exact moment of the shooting because they ran around the building.

Barner then said they fled in the car but were spotted. A chase ended in a crash. Everyone ran, jumping fences. Two of them ended up inside a woman’s house, briefly holding her hostage. Later, Abdul Robinson Sr. picked them up, and they told him what had happened.
On cross‑examination, defense lawyers pressed Barner on his credibility. They pointed out he had lied to police at first and had taken plea deals in multiple murder cases. They said he might be giving testimony in exchange for reduced sentences.
Other court testimony
News 4 Jax also stated that an FBI cell‑phone expert explained how phone records link phones to cell towers. He said he could not place Ksoo’s phone near the scene of the shooting.
A fingerprint expert from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office testified that a print lifted from a gun found in the stolen vehicle matched Ksoo. But the expert said she could not determine when the print was left.
A forensic video expert used dash‑cam footage and 3D models to compare body size. He said the shooter could not be Barner or Whitaker, but Ksoo could not be ruled out. The defense noted that Hakeem is very tall—over six feet—but several witnesses described the shooter as shorter.
Background and context
Opening statements began mid‑week. The state said McCormick was targeted because of a diss song and his group membership. Ksoo and Whitaker are both charged with first‑degree murder and weapon charges. Ksoo faces a separate trial later for another murder case from 2019.
Defense lawyers for Ksoo argue that eyewitness descriptions are flawed and that the prosecution is unfairly targeting him. His attorney asked jurors to disregard the testimony that ties him to the shooter’s image and to view Barner as the one who planned the crime.
For now, testimony in the trial continues, with more witnesses and evidence still to come. Jurors are weighing emotional testimony from a father, plea‑deal statements, forensic evidence, and conflicting witness accounts.