"Island Boy" Flyysoulja Speaks On Friend Being Arrested For 8-Year-Old's Death

BY Erika Marie 6.1K Views
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Island Boys, Alez Venegas, Flyysoulja
The rapper's friend was arrested earlier this week and now, one of the viral "Island Boys" twins is calling for a stop to gun violence.

After learning that his friend was arrested in connection to the shooting death of an eight-year-old girl, Flyysoulja, or Alex Venegas, is speaking out against gun violence. We previously reported that a Florida home owned by twins Alex and Franky Venegas, widely known as the rapping "Island Boys," was raided by authorities. It was then that police arrested their reported childhood friend, 20-year-old Andrew Thomas, after it was suspected that he was tied to the drive-by shooting death of little Ron'Ziyah Atkins.

Following the news, a manager for the Venegas brothers came forward with a statement. "I really didn't expect nothing out of him like this. This is a big shock," Dovi Bezner reportedly told WPTV.


"We knew him as a quiet, quiet kid that would come around and do his thing. But apparently, you know, he was a little monster," Benzer added. "I would never imagine in a million years that this person was going out there and doing these violent crimes on the street." 

Flyysoujla caught up with TMZ and shared a message to the family of the victim, as well as the world.

"I just want to send my condolences to the family," he said in a video. "It's very sad. That's pretty much all I wanna say. Gotta stop the gun violence. Gotta make sure that, you know, protect the youth out here. Stop the gang violence. It's not worth it. We need to be good citizens out here and we need to guide the youth."

When asked what he would do to help the cause, Flyysoulja answered that he would use his voice to "make sure everyone realizes this is not the life people want to be in." Watch his video below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.