Philadelphia rapper LGP Qua, known for tackling gun violence through his music, was shot and killed in the city’s Juniata Park neighborhood on Mother’s Day, police confirmed.
Qidere Johnson, 30, who performed as LGP Qua, was shot shortly before 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, near the intersection of M Street and East Luzerne Street. After being transported to Temple University Hospital by private vehicle, Johnson was pronounced dead at 4:56 p.m.
Philadelphia police are searching for two suspects captured on surveillance video obtained by NBC10. The footage shows two men walking separately at M and East Luzerne streets, with one approaching a car and opening the door while the other crosses toward the vehicle. A bright flash, believed to be gunfire, is then seen coming from one of the men.
According to police reports, the shooting occurred during an attempted robbery where two masked men allegedly tried to steal gold chains Johnson was wearing. One of the assailants shot Johnson once in the chest before fleeing the scene.
Johnson was widely respected in Philadelphia’s hip-hop community and beyond for his socially conscious lyrics that addressed the city’s gun violence crisis. Known as “the Voice of the Youth,” Johnson gained recognition through viral freestyle videos that garnered millions of views on social media platforms.
Anton Moore, a friend of Johnson’s and leader of Unity in the Community, an anti-violence organization, expressed his dismay over the killing. “It hit hard because we don’t want to send that message to our young people that if you’re doing something positive or you got some things going on, you get killed. We don’t want to see that. We don’t want this to be normal to our kids in the neighborhood,” Moore said.
Moore told NBC10 he had known Johnson since 2018 when the rapper performed at Moore’s South Philadelphia summer block party. The anti-violence advocate works with at-risk youth, providing job and life skills training.
Multimedia host Mina “SayWhat” Llona, who had interviewed Johnson several times, shared her reflections on his impact. She explained that his music critiqued growing up in poverty and provided advice for young people to make the right choices and avoid following the wrong crowd. Llona noted that Johnson’s messaging was exactly what young people needed to hear, making his loss particularly painful for the community.
An Instagram page dedicated to funeral updates for Johnson posted a tribute describing him as “a kid with a dream that turned to a man with a vision.” The post highlighted Johnson’s aspirations to better his community by using rap to influence the mindsets of youth. It also described how Johnson wanted Philadelphia youth to know they could achieve more, stating that if he could beat the odds, any child could do the same.
Johnson’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from prominent figures in the hip-hop community. Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill shared one of Johnson’s freestyle videos on social media, expressing frustration over the loss of such a promising talent. Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz and DJ Kid Capri also posted condolences.
Rapper Vinnie Paz expressed his grief on social media, highlighting the irony that someone who actively spoke against gun violence would fall victim to it.
According to Johnson himself in a 2018 interview with Complex, his path to becoming a voice for his community began with a pivotal moment during a period of incarceration. After reevaluating his life’s direction, Johnson committed himself fully to his music career, viewing it as an opportunity to make a positive impact rather than continuing down a destructive path.
Law enforcement officials report that no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting, and police have not released detailed descriptions of the suspects. Philadelphia police are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Johnson’s murder was part of a violent weekend in Philadelphia that included the shooting death of a 12-year-old boy who was killed while filming a music video on East Pastorius Street.
Despite these recent incidents, Philadelphia has seen a decrease in homicides in 2025. As of May 11, the city had recorded 74 homicides, representing a 21.28% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to police data.
