Jacksonville Rapper Ksoo Denied New Trial, Sentencing Set

Jacksonville rapper Hakeem Robinson, known as Ksoo, was convicted in July of first-degree murder for the 2020 killing of fellow rapper Charles "Lil Buck" McCormick Jr., which was linked to a violent hip-hop rivalry and gang dispute between ATK and KTA factions. The shooting was reportedly provoked by a diss track mocking the death of Robinson's stepbrother, who was killed in a related gang incident. Robinson and his co-defendant Leroy Whitaker, also convicted, ambushed Lil Buck at a shopping center, with Robinson captured on video firing the fatal shots. Despite Robinson's defense team filing a motion for a new trial citing procedural errors and issues with witness testimony, a judge denied the request, finding insufficient grounds for retrial. Sentencing for both Robinson and Whitaker is scheduled for September 19, with Robinson facing a mandatory life sentence under Florida law. The case received additional attention due to Robinson's father cooperating with prosecutors and testifying against his son.