Goonew, the Creator of "No Diss" and "What It Was," Has Passed Away at 24

24-year-old Maryland native Markelle Morrow died on Friday, March 18, 2022. He launched his career as a rapper a few years ago, releasing songs under the monikers of Goonew, Big Wizzle, and HoodRich Goon.

One of his first mixtapes, "Certified Goon," came out in 2017. He and Lil Dude released the album "Homicide Boyz" in 2018. Another mixtape, "Still Servin," and an album, "Back From Hell," soon followed. What happened to the up-and-coming rapper? What was Goonew's cause of death?

Goonew passed away on Friday, March 18, 2022, after suffering life-threatening injuries during a shooting in a parking lot in District Heights, Md. He was pronounced dead at a Prince George's County hospital the same day, per the Sun.

"At [approximately] 5:40 p.m., officers responded to the area for a report of a shooting. Once on scene, they located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to a hospital for life-threatening injuries," Prince George Police Department tweeted, via the Sun. "At [approximately] 7:30 p.m., the victim was pronounced dead."

"All he wanted to do is try to get his family out the hood," Goonew's mother, Patrice Morrow, told WUSA9. "He had a heart bigger than his body. When they took him, they took me."

Applauded for his whispery delivery and timeless sound by the likes of Pitchfork and the Washington Post, Goonew cemented himself as a prominent rapper with songs like "What It Was" and "Drip & Ice." His collaborations with Lil Dude, XanMan, and others earned him a great deal of popularity.

Goonew's funeral was held on Sunday, April 3, 2022, at the Bliss Nightclub in Washington D.C. The funeral garnered considerable scrutiny after a video made its way to the internet.

"To be honest, Goonew deserved way better in my opinion. Long live him, though," tweeted @3babyrackz.

Our thoughts are with Goonew's family, friends, and fans at this time.