Drill rapper Billy Billions accused an Old Bailey jury of racism after they convicted him of organising the drive-by shooting of a rival gang member.
Billions (real name Baily McKenzie), 28, was not in the car but played a key role in plotting the attack in Hackney, east London, in December 2020 which left the victim with ‘catastrophic’ injuries.
As the jury found him guilty on an 11 – 1 majority decision, Billy Billions, who is mixed race, stormed out of the deck.
He turned to the jury and said: ‘If I was white would you send me down? That’s the real question.’
Now, before you go stereotyping Billy Billions as a gangbanging good-for-nothing, ask yourself this: would a man who raps about murdering rival gang members in his songs ever do something like that in real life? Let’s take a look at some of the lyrics to the track ‘Tizzy’ and see if it offers any clues as to Billy Billions’s questionable street activities:
New handy shoot two at a timegang got down two in a night (Grah, grah)
Days I was bruck, slap two in the bruck, opp block, start ruining lives (Boom, pow)
I chinged up a opp and I watched him die, how the fuck did he get revived? (Ching, ching, ching)
Lil’ bro caught a M and he died in pen, shit turnеd me cold inside (My nigga)
Keep a hammer in thе pouch for the action
Billy from the HollyI’m packin’
Never lackin’, I’ll do the mad ting
And run up in your mumsie’s house with a MAC in (Gang)
You can’t live my life, that’s no way
No gloves, no bally, but I still came
And man can’t tell me ’bout gunplay
I done three shootings in one day (Grah, Grah)
Now I’m not expert in modern day roadman slang, but I’m pretty sure he’s talking about shooting/murdering his enemies and invading their mums’ houses, and in the final bar literally says: ‘I done three shootings in one day’.
Obviously I’m not saying that every rapper out there spitting lyrics about stabbing, shooting and robbing people is genuinely living that life but the ones that are always seem to be brainlessly specific about it in their music.
The court heard the shooting was a result of gang rivalry between members of the Holly Street Gang, of which Billions is a member, and the London Fields group.
Alexandra Healy, KC, prosecuting, said five ‘innocent men’ were sitting in a car in Middleton Road in Hackney on 14 December 2020.
She explained: ‘They were together to celebrate the birthday of one of their number. A car pulled up beside them and within a short amount of time one occupant of that car fired six shots into the car in which the five young men were sitting.’
A 25-year-old passenger was shot in the head twice – but survived. He was however left with ‘catastrophic’ injuries.
Another passenger was shot in the arm while another was hit in the hand.
The three men who carried out the drive-by attack have already been on trial and have been convicted of conspiracy to murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Although Billy Billions was not at the scene, he was involved in the planning and was therefore part of the agreement, according to the prosecution. Reckon his buddies grassed him up?
Furthermore, social media videos of Billy Billions threatening violence on London Fields were shown to the jury, in which he said things like: ‘F-ck GBH, f-ck attempted. It’s homicides, not homicide.’ Probably not the smartest move in hindsight, but fair play to him for ‘keeping it real’. That’ll look great on his prison CV.
Judge Philip Katz, KC will sentence McKenzie on a date to be fixed.
To read about the ‘Murder On My Mind’ rapper who ruthlessly murdered his two best friends (and pretended to mourn them for months afterwards), click HERE.
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