On Mother’s Day, Philadelphia lost a rapper, LGP QUA (backronym for Living for Greater Purposes Quickly Understands to Apologize or Quidere Johnson), who was shot to death on Sunday afternoon in the Juniata Park section of the city, a tragic conclusion to the 30-year-old’s career concept, which had been to shed light on dark corners. Known as “the Voice of the Youth” to many, QUA wasn’t just spitting bars but was delivering sermons on survival, strength, and social awareness.
The gunfire was reported shortly before 4:40 p.m. on the 1400 block of East Luzerne Street, reports said. QUA was shot in the chest and brought to the hospital, but he was unable to survive. As the news spread, the grief surged with a quick click or a tap through social media, from fans to famous friends and back again.
Meek Mill, another Philadelphia son who has never been shy about the city’s struggles, uploaded to Instagram a heartfelt tribute. He shared a clip of one of QUA’s powerful freestyles over an instrumental and captioned it with raw emotion:
“Killing ambitious young bulls on Mother’s Day is a Philadelphia type s### smfh… Prayers to the family & friends no.372,” he wrote. ”
QUA’s lyrics were the type that did that thing, the thing where they could punch you in the gut without a beat. His freestyles were virulent not for flashiness but for raw honesty, using cutting precision to tackle injustice, poverty, and pain. In a world of noise, QUA had something solid to say. And people listened.
“S### wack man, rest up, King.” The veteran DJ Kid Capri revealed the personal toll the tragedy had upon him:
“I’m so hurt by this; wow, this is crazy, on Mother’s Day tho, imagine what his mom is going through…I’m so bad!” Rapper Dee-1 captured the sentiment as so many were feeling it:
“This is so heartbreaking. I’m praying for Philly and this young brother’s family. We gotta do better.”
QUA’s last Instagram posts have become something of a memorial by now. His fans are filling the comments with reposted words, his wisdom, and his warning. His freestyles, once viral for their urgency, now sound like eulogies in rhythm.
Philadelphia has long known violence’s bite on talent. But LGP QUA is in a league of its own. This was a man who used his gift to elevate, not to exploit. One who transformed pain into verse.” And now, a mother’s worst nightmare was realized on a day meant to honor her.
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