Gangsta Boo performs with Run The Jewels at Music Midtown at Piedmont Park on September 19, 2015, in Atlanta. | Source: Chris McKay / Getty
UPDATED: 7:20 a.m. ET, June 16, 2023
Original article published on Jan. 3, 2023
The death of a pioneering rapper from the south who blazed trails for other women emcees who came after her has prompted a number of questions; namely, how did she die?
The question was answered on Thursday when the autopsy report for her death revealed Lola Chantrelle “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell died on New Year’s Day following the consumption of a toxic blend of cocaine, fentanyl and alcohol, Bossip reported.
Gangsta Boo, who rose to prominence as part of the Memphis-based Three 6 Mafia rap collective, was found dead at a home in Memphis just hours after celebrating the end of 2022 with her family at a concert. She had been showing no signs of distress in the hours before her death, according to reports. She was 43 years old.
The official cause of death for Gangsta Boo was not immediately announced, sparking rampant speculation in the interim about how she lost her life since the Memphis Police Department has said there were no obvious signs of foul play, according to local news outlet Fox 13.
TMZ previously cited anonymous sources in reporting that Gangsta Boo may have died from a drug overdose by way of fentanyl.
From TMZ back on New year’s Day:
Sources connected to Gangsta Boo tell TMZ … the rapper’s death appears to be drug-related. We’re told Gangsta was with her brother last night at a local concert in Memphis, and that her sibling started to overdose sometime in the night … requiring hospitalization.
While he ended up being okay, our sources tell us that people familiar with Gangsta Boo’s death scene insist narcotics were found on her person and that a fentanyl-laced substance is believed to be at play. We’re told the police are launching an official investigation.
By all indications, Gangsta Boo was still very much enjoying her career. The Memphis Commerical Appeal reported that she filmed a music video just last week.
Gangsta Boo also appeared on the popular and controversial Drink Champs podcast talking about her legacy in Memphis hip-hop and the women rappers she inspired.
NewsOne sends heartfelt condolences to Gangsta Boo’s family and friends for their loss.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl-laced cocaine deaths are on the rise in America. Drug dealers are now selling cocaine that is laced with fentanyl, one of the most deadly drugs on the streets, and it’s killing people. Comic Fuquan Johnson and actor Michael K. Williams both died in 2021 from overdoses after ingesting cocaine laced with fentanyl.
The highly addictive synthetic opioid is prescribed by doctors to rid breakthrough pain from medical procedures or cancer patients. The Schedule II drug can also be used as a part of anesthesia to help reduce pain after surgery. Overdosing on the drug can cause respiratory failure, a coma, permanent brain damage, and/or death. Its potency is estimated to be 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Because the opioid is so strong, a small amount could cause an overdose.
Fentanyl is also highly addictive and cheap to produce, which makes it an enticing option for drug dealers looking to stretch their product. It is frequently sold on the black market as powder, small candies, eye droppers, nasal sprays, or in pill form made to mimic other prescription opioids. It’s also commonly mixed with heroin, methamphetamine and MDMA.
SEE ALSO:
Why Are People Lacing Cocaine With Fentanyl And How Dangerous Is It?
Older Black Men Are Dying From Opioid Overdoses Four Times Higher Than Everyone Else
