'Pop, Lock & Drop It' Rapper Huey Shot Dead at 32: 'He Enjoyed Life'

"You're talking about a young man who still had a lot of life to live," Huey's manager told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Photo: Jason DeCrow/AP/Shutterstock

Huey, the rapper best known for the 2006 hit single "Pop, Lock & Drop It,"w as fatally shot in his hometown of Kinloch, Missouri, on Thursday. He was 32.

The artist, whose real name was Lawrence Franks Jr., died after being rushed to the hospital following the shooting around 11 p.m.

There was a second victim in the shooting, which occurred outside a home in Kinloch, but his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, St. Louis county police told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Police did not provide details about a possible motive or any potential suspects.

Huey's manager, Enrico Washington, told the outlet that the late rapper "enjoyed life."

"Just happy about life," he said. "You're talking about a young man who still had a lot of life to live."

"Kinloch is no easy place to live," Washington added. "It's tough. But he was living the entrepreneurial spirit. He was doing it the right way."

At the time of his death, Huey was still earning royalties from his hit song, Washington said. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 98 before peaking at No. 6.

His debut album, Notebook Paper was released in 2007 following the success of the single. His second album, Redemption, dropped three years later.

"I always rap about my life," Huey said in an interview with Riverfront Times while promoting the album. "Whether it's memories or things that's going on today, that's a big part of my music. That's one of the best things I can do is tell the truth."

Following the news of his death, fans, fellow musicians and relatives took to social media to pay tribute to Huey.

"shed a few , my dawg Huey is gone forever," record producer and rapper Jaylien Wesley wrote on Twitter. "thank you for the talk, thank you for your energy, thank you for believing in me. Ima help keep your spirit alive down here. much much love forever."

One of Huey’s relatives, Bruce Franks Jr., added , "They killed my lil cousin."

Huey is survived by his 13-year-old daughter.