On Thursday June 4, 2015, I got a call at 6:19pm that my cousin JaCobi had gotten killed in St. Louis. At this time, I’m at work, in Jefferson City, which is an hour and a half away from home. My heart stopped, it all seemed like a dream. I just broke down and cried. WHY? WHY MY COUSIN. I had just saw him the Saturday before on May 30. Everyone had just saw him. It was a family gathering, his little sister just had a baby and the family threw her a late baby shower. He was so happy to have him a niece and we all just knew that he was going to have her spoiled. But “they” say when a new life begins, another ends, God knew what he was doing, I don’t like it but God has his reasons. He got the family together one last time before he called upon an angel, my cousin JaCobi.
I have soooo many memories of my cousin. First off, he was my first cousin, we grew up together. My mom and his mom were sisters. We went to elementary school together and he even joined me in college for a year before he transferred back to St. Louis. One childhood memory I have is being at our Nana’s house, our grandmother. He kept playing with this 5 pound Ninja Turtle toy and kept putting it in my face. I chased him outside and I was on a balcony while he was below me and I got a hold of the toy. I told him I was going to throw the toy at him, he doubted me, so I threw it and BOOM. It hits him right in the face and a huge knot appeared on his forehead. At this point, I’m thinking “oh shit, my aunt is going to kill me.” So he’s crying his hardest and I’m like “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” Then about 10 minutes later, my aunt arrives to come pick him up and he’s STILL crying. When I saw her, I started crying because I thought she was going to whoop me. I was on my knees, at her feet crying telling her I was so sorry, I was so sorry, boo-hoo-ing and all lol. She was chill about it but still I felt so bad after I saw that huge knot on his forehead.
A college memory I have with Cobi was at a party. We went to Missouri State (GO BEARS) and organizations would throw venue parties. One party, JaCobi had got SO drunk, his friends had to help carry him out to the car. Of course there was a an after party somewhere and he popped up, but was sitting in the car the whole time, STILL gone out of his mind. I’m like “aye you want me to take you back to the dorms?” He goes back and forth from “yeah” to “nah I’m good Briana” to “yeah”, so he gets to the dorms, changed his mind and says he wants to go back to the party, I’m like “bruh you is too gone, you can’t be at no party”, he says “I’ll be good, I’ll be outside or something” I’m like alright Cobi. He makes his way back to the party and stays in the car. LMAO this guy. Within the past year, we haven’t been that close, but we still grew up like brother and sister, as well as our other cousins.
So after my cousin left Missouri State, he got on this mindset of wanting to be a rapper. My first thought was “whattttt, so now he was wants to be the typical St. Louis guy” but whatevs, he’s grown. He started going to the Nelly Extreme Institute, so by the point I’m thinking, he’s forreal and wants to have some accreditation of what he is learning is the school. No hating on hate. He got his name “True Religion Cobi” because that boy was alwaysssss rocking some True Religion gear, fresh as hell too. After a while he starting making Instagram and Snapchat posts about him finishing his mixtape, which he did. (the link is below) Then he starts doing music videos, which is another big step for someone trying to become an artist and I was surprised and impressed. As one of his close cousins Troy said “He wasn’t the best rapper.” but he tried and he was trying to get his music out there and I respected him for that.
I will never ever forget the times we’ve shared, or the memories we created. Now that he’s gone, I know that I have an angel watching over me. Below is the link to his mixtape and a few pictures we’ve taken over the years.
Bred Gang Presents “True Religion Cobi” : Bred Brotherz
Fly High Cobi. Watch over the family, especially your mom, sister, brother and niece. Your death has been a tragedy to our family. We will NEVER get over it and NEVER forget about you. Love you Cousin.
Danii Gold 
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