Memphis Rapper FastCash CMoney is Dead

Memphis lost another voice from its vibrant rap scene. FastCash CMoney, born Cordney Smith, was killed in a violent shootout in the Frayser neighborhood, just weeks before completing federal probation on September 29.

The 25-year-old, one half of the rap duo FastCash Boyz, was found dead near Maritavia Street and Georgian Drive after police responded to reports of gunfire around midnight on Macaulay Drive and Macaulay Cove.

Surveillance footage shows a chaotic scene with multiple vehicles involved, and a local resident, Sherita Miller, described hearing 60 to 100 shots, forcing her to hit the floor and call 911.

The Memphis Police Department is still investigating, with no arrests announced.

Let’s cut through the noise. CMoney’s death is tragic, but it’s not an isolated shock. Memphis has been grappling with gun violence for years, claiming artists like Young Dolph and Snootie Wild.

FBI crime data shows Memphis’s violent crime rate in 2024 was 2,173 per 100,000 residents among the highest in the U.S., though down slightly from 2023’s 2,420.

Homicides specifically dropped 15% from 2022 to 2024, per MPD stats, but still hit 301 last year.

This isn’t just “rap beef,” as Miller speculated to WREG, citing rumors of a feud since the previous Friday. It’s a symptom of deeper issues poverty, easy access to guns, and a cycle of retaliation that’s hard to break.

CMoney’s music, like his recent single “Stars & The Moon,” was raw and real, blending street life with dreams of escape. He and FastCash Jizzle built a regional following with tracks like “Cash Walk,” capturing Memphis’s gritty sound.

His legal troubles didn’t help: a federal conviction for bank fraud and marijuana distribution landed him 18 months in prison, with over $240,000 defrauded and 100 kilos of weed at stake.

He was so close to a clean slate, which makes this sting more. His girlfriend, Kya Smith, posted a gut-wrenching tribute on Facebook, and a GoFundMe for his funeral and kids has raised $650 so far, calling his death “senseless gun violence.”