MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

MoneySign Suede: Aspiring LA rapper fatally stabbed in California prison before he was due to be released

The incident has led officials to restrict prisoner movement while they conduct their investigation

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: An aspiring LA rapper was stabbed to death in a California prison before he was due to be released, according to reports. Prison officials for the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad said that the death of MoneySign Suede, 22, — whose real name is Jaime Brugada Valdez — is being investigated as a homicide after discovering he was absent from a headcount check on Tuesday, April 25, around 9.55 pm. 

According to TMZ, the 'Back to the Bag' rapper was found unresponsive in another area of the prison. Prison personnel attempted to administer emergency aid but they were unsuccessful as he was pronounced dead around 10 pm. The incident has led officials to restrict prisoner movement while they conduct their investigation, with assistance from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and the Monterey County Coroner, the latter of whom will determine MoneySign's cause of death.

READ MORE

Video shows autistic boy, 3, wandering alone on train tracks before being rescued by alert rail staff

The Tragic Death of Kai Bernabe: California toddler, 3, drowns as twin brother Liam clings to life

MoneySign was stabbed in the neck

Nicholas Rosenberg, MoneySign's attorney, told the Los Angeles Times the rapper was stabbed in the neck in the shower. After the news of his untimely death came to light, his rapper friends Fenix Flexin and Baby Stone Gorillas took to Instagram to pay emotional tributes.

MoneySign's short music career

The 22-year-old rose to prominence in recent years after releasing his debut self-titled album in March 2022. That same year, he released two more albums, Parkside Baby and Parkside Santa. The California native was best known for his songs 'BACK TO THE BAG', 'She Gon Choose', and 'Veteran', and was signed to Atlantic Records.

In an interview with the music blog site Passion Weiss, Suede spoke about his family, explaining that he would try to "see my people every day." "It’s a huge family because all my sisters already have kids," he said. "Each one has something like three, four or five kids. I got all sorts of nephews and nieces and s**t. I still see my people every day.

Why was MoneySign in prison?

Valdez was sent there after being sentenced in Riverside County last December to serve two years and eight months on two charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, according to state corrections officials.

'A young regional hero'

Tributes also started flooding in with tributes for the young rapper. One user wrote, "RIP MoneySign Suede, much more than L.A.'s own Mexican-American Kodak, but who also channeled that same pain, indomitability & sense of struggle. A young regional hero embodying the hopes & aspirations of the unsung and overlooked. Killed in jail far too young. Devastating." Another put, "Damn, RIParadise to MoneySignSuede .. one of the most promising young talented artists from LA in recent years. And from all accounts a very solid guy. ‘She Gon Choose’ was one of my most played songs these past couple years.. My prayers are with his family and loved ones." One tweeted, "All that time inside only to be killer near release" while another wrote, "No wayyy I remember watching his last YouTube vlog before he went in." "Oo hell no I watched his video a bit ago he was going do a small bid and come out. RiP to homie Suade my condolences to his familia", wrote another user.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.