The quiet streets of Jacksonville have been anything but peaceful in the wake of the tragic passing of rapper Julio Foolio, an event that has sent shockwaves through the music world and illuminated the dark underbelly of ongoing street rivalries. New police files, previously unseen by the public, have been released, casting a spotlight on rapper Yungeen Ace and his alleged involvement in the events leading up to Foolio’s ambush. What began as a celebration for Foolio’s birthday morphed into a chilling saga of social media boasts, alleged taunts, and a devastating act of violence, leaving a trail of questions and a community demanding answers.

The narrative begins with an unsettling revelation: Yungeen Ace, a prominent figure in Jacksonville’s rap scene, was reportedly arrested by Jacksonville Beach police around midnight, a development that intensified long-standing suspicions. Authorities have consistently monitored these groups, indicating a deep-seated awareness of the rivalries simmering beneath the surface. The video evidence presented in court further complicates matters. In a particularly disturbing exchange, DJ Academics directly confronted Yungeen Ace about his alleged involvement in Foolio’s passing. Ace’s response, a prolonged and unsettling laugh, has been interpreted by many as a chilling sign of guilt or, at the very least, a profound lack of remorse.

The newly unsealed police files paint an even darker picture, detailing every grim aspect of Foolio’s final moments. Among the most damning pieces of evidence is a meme allegedly sent by Yungeen Ace to one of the suspects’ phones, depicting Foolio’s passing. Furthermore, a picture found on a suspect’s phone, taken a day after the incident, shows a bottle of Don Julio. This, according to detective testimony, symbolizes an insult directed at the late rapper. As if these weren’t enough, a live stream from Yungeen Ace and his mother on the very day Foolio passed away shows them purportedly laughing, a moment that has been described as deeply disturbing and insensitive by many observers. The collective weight of this evidence—from the alleged meme to the public display of apparent indifference—has led Jacksonville police to explicitly name Yungeen Ace, vowing to apprehend him soon, effectively signaling his imminent arrest.

Investigators have also delved into the affiliations of the alleged shooters. It was found that they were members of or affiliated with rival groups of Jones, known as ATK and 1200. Detectives firmly believe that ATK and 1200 collaborated to target Jones, a member of the Six Block, as a direct continuation of an entrenched feud in Jacksonville. This revelation underscores the complex and dangerous dynamics at play within these street factions. The suggestion that Yungeen Ace played a part in Foolio’s passing has gained considerable traction, with a continuous stream of evidence allegedly linking him to the crime. This includes not only the alleged memes sent to suspects but also claims from team members who reportedly were offered tens of thousands of dollars to “deal with” Foolio.

The mounting pressure seemingly led Yungeen Ace to a moment of public panic. He took to Twitter, proclaiming, “Ain’t no such thing as ATK no more that stuff is gone and over with.” This was followed by an Instagram video where he appeared to be distancing himself from the group, seemingly in response to the Jacksonville police explicitly naming ATK. His public repudiation of ATK, an organization he was closely associated with, raised immediate suspicions among law enforcement. For someone already under investigation for Foolio’s passing, severing ties with his alleged street team, especially after being called out by name, made him appear acutely suspicious in the eyes of the police.

The authorities made it unequivocally clear that Ace’s actions would not deter their pursuit. Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters issued a public service announcement directed at Yungeen Ace and his ATK crew, emphasizing their ongoing surveillance. “Yungeen Ace has long been known in Jacksonville,” Waters stated, adding, “we are consistently monitoring that group… we have people that are always watching them.” While not directly confirming an active investigation on Ace at that precise moment, the message was clear: “he can’t move around in Jacksonville without us knowing about it and that’s… for the betterment of our community.”

The newly released police files further allege that Yungeen Ace was informed by one of the suspects about Foolio’s final words, adding another layer of grim detail to the unfolding tragedy. To grasp the full scope of this intricate narrative, one must revisit the initial sections of the police report, which meticulously detail Foolio’s passing. Julio Foolio, born June 21st, 1998, was ambushed by rival street members in Tampa on a Sunday morning. What should have been a birthday celebration weekend tragically spiraled into the worst imaginable scenario, largely fueled by his pervasive use of social media.

Foolio and his crew had rented an Airbnb for the weekend, and upon arrival, he began an extensive series of Instagram stories, meticulously documenting his every move. From pool party announcements with addresses to revealing who was inside the party, Foolio inadvertently broadcast his location to his “ops,” or rivals, who were reportedly making plans to target him. An hour into the party, police arrived, leading to the landlord’s decision to evict Foolio and his crew, abruptly ending his birthday festivities. Undeterred, Foolio once again took to Instagram, posting a flyer for a nearby club, complete with its exact address, seemingly attempting to break a record for the most location drops to his adversaries in a single weekend. Once inside the club, he again used Instagram, sharing his precise seating location, even revealing he was headed to the “upstairs lounge.”

These incessant social media updates provided ample time and opportunity for Foolio’s rivals to convene, strategize, and scout his location. A street member later claimed that Foolio was targeted because Yungeen Ace had allegedly offered $10,000 to have him “dealt with.” This individual, who chose to remain anonymous, chillingly stated, “I’m the one that smacked Julio Foolio that night when he got at his birthday celebration bro… it was money on his head… Ace had that money on his head… told me to slide.” This confession underscores the deadly stakes involved in these street feuds and the alleged role of financial incentives in perpetuating the violence.

The timing of the ambush, on the 23rd day of the month, held particular significance for the “ops.” After leaving the club, Foolio and his crew gathered in the parking lot, unaware that their adversaries were observing them from two parked vehicles across the street. While Foolio’s manager was attempting to secure ten rooms at a nearby Holiday Inn, two cars filled with rival street members pulled into the parking lot. Concurrently, three men emerged from nearby bushes, intending to ambush Foolio. The vehicles strategically blocked off escape routes, while the individuals who had hidden in the bushes had the sole objective of locating Foolio and carrying out the attack. At 4:38 AM, three individuals exited a vehicle and moved towards the hotel, ultimately murdering Jones with a barrage of gunfire. Miraculously, three additional victims struck in the crossfire survived the incident. Within 30 minutes of the crime, the news quickly spread, with headlines like “Yungeen Ace dropped do it,” referencing a direct diss track aimed at Foolio released after his passing. Yungeen Ace’s right-hand man reportedly shared an old tweet from King Von, reading, “Game over we won stupid.” More strikingly, in the song released by Yungeen Ace shortly after Foolio’s death, he allegedly remixed Foolio’s own lyrics, twisting them into a taunt. Foolio had rapped about going out to eat on his birthday, only to have “four hit three pass in the worst way” and being “hit in 23.” Yungeen Ace’s new song mirrored this, rapping “four in the car one of them gone three got hit,” alluding to the fact that there were four people in Foolio’s vehicle, and only Foolio passed away.

The controversy intensified when news broke that Foolio’s mother claimed she had been targeted eight times and allegedly named Yungeen Ace as the culprit. This accusation, coming from an individual not involved in the street life, triggered a swift response from authorities. Yungeen Ace, who was reportedly on some form of supervised release at the time, was summoned by his probation officer and subsequently faced arrest in connection with Foolio’s mother’s allegations. With the Jacksonville police already suspecting Yungeen Ace’s involvement in Foolio’s passing, an ATK member allegedly revealed the motive behind the targeting: a retaliation for the passing of ATK Mitch in 2022.

A month before his death, Foolio had given an interview discussing the ongoing beefs in Jacksonville, even revealing plans for a “stop the violence” song with both groups. However, police files suggest that ATK only pretended to engage in this peace initiative to lower Foolio’s guard, a strategy that seemingly worked, given his prolific location-dropping on Instagram. This elaborate deception was allegedly driven by a desire for revenge for ATK Mitch. In April 2022, Foolio was pulled over for an illegal window tint. During an allegedly illegal vehicle search, he revealed his identity and was immediately arrested and interrogated about Mitch’s passing. Despite detectives having no direct evidence against Foolio, they relentlessly pursued information, but Foolio steadfastly denied any knowledge, demonstrating a seasoned adherence to the “street code” of silence. He also vehemently denied that his music or lifestyle influenced the violence, maintaining that such issues existed long before his rap career.

As the feds gained knowledge of ATK’s revenge against Foolio for Mitch, Yungeen Ace reportedly spoke about Foolio on Instagram Live, in a manner that appeared to mock him while simultaneously trying to praise him, ostensibly hoping to evade further scrutiny. This complex display of conflicting emotions only fueled suspicions. The police subsequently released new evidence linking Yungeen Ace to the alleged payment of five hitmen – Alicia, Isaiah, Shawn, Rashad, and DaVon – solidifying the perception that Yungeen Ace was the primary orchestrator. As a consequence, all of Yungeen Ace’s concerts have reportedly been cancelled, an action aimed at limiting his business and income, thereby potentially hindering his ability to fund legal defense teams.

Even DJ Academics, a prominent voice in the rap community, had anticipated these developments, warning Yungeen Ace that he was “next to be dealt with,” either by street rivals or by the federal authorities. When asked about this prediction, Yungeen Ace dismissed it as a wish, asserting his lifelong commitment to self-preservation. When pressed on whether Foolio’s passing would bring an end to the ongoing conflict, he simply responded, “it was never a situation.” This statement, in light of the overwhelming evidence and mounting accusations, speaks volumes about the entrenched nature of these rivalries.

The Jacksonville sheriff, when questioned about the origins of this protracted conflict, acknowledged the presence of “drill rappers” in the city, dispelling the notion that it was solely a Chicago phenomenon. He emphasized the authorities’ efforts to “run them out of town,” highlighting a particular rap song that sampled “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. This song, according to the sheriff, explicitly named five or six individuals who had been involved in incidents in Jacksonville, illustrating the direct and impactful nature of drill rap, which often glorifies violence and targets real individuals, leaving a devastating impact on their families and communities. The unfolding narrative surrounding Yungeen Ace and Julio Foolio serves as a stark reminder of the tragic consequences that can arise from deep-seated rivalries, social media grandstanding, and the often-unseen machinations of street life.