Kenjuan McDaniel, a 25-year-old rapper from Las Vegas, Nevada, was arrested and charged with murder on August 29, 2023, in connection with the death of Randall Wallace, a 32-year-old man who was shot and killed in September 2021.
McDaniel was arrested after Las Vegas police detective obtained a music video titled “Fadee Free” that McDaniel had posted to YouTube on July 19, 2023. The video contains lyrics that police believe are a confession to the murder of Wallace.
In the video, McDaniel raps:
I be the reason why he’s dead
We still taunt him when he die
Not the reason he’s dead
So celebrate the reason why his momma cry
Police say that these lyrics match details of the murder that were not publicly released, such as the fact that Wallace’s mother was present at the scene of the crime.
McDaniel was also a person of interest in the case prior to his arrest, as his car matched the description of the one seen fleeing the scene of the murder.
McDaniel is currently being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $1 million bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again on September 14, 2023.
Details of the Case
Randall Wallace was shot and killed on September 18, 2021, at an apartment complex in Las Vegas. Witnesses reported seeing a Black man fleeing the scene in a white vehicle.
Police identified McDaniel as a suspect in the case a month later, after one of the witnesses came forward with more information.
On July 17, 2023, a detective observed the YouTube video posted by McDaniel titled “Fadee Free.” The detective believed that the lyrics in the video were a confession to the murder of Wallace.
McDaniel was arrested at his home on August 29, 2023. He is being held on charges of open murder with a deadly weapon and violation of probation.
Implications of the Case
The Kenjuan McDaniel case has raised questions about the use of rap music as evidence in criminal cases. Some legal experts have argued that rap lyrics are protected by the First Amendment and should not be used against defendants in court.
Others have argued that rap lyrics can be used as evidence, but that they should be carefully considered in the context of the case. In the McDaniel case, for example, police believe that the lyrics in the video “Fadee Free” match details of the murder that were not publicly released.
The McDaniel case is still ongoing, and it remains to be seen whether the rap lyrics will be admissible as evidence in his trial. However, the case has raised important questions about the intersection of music and the criminal justice system.