New York rapper and singer Lil Tjay has made his first public statement since he was shot in Edgewater, New Jersey in June, as Stereogum points out. Tjay posted a video to his official Instagram account earlier today, where he stated that he survived “seven shots” sustained in the incident. “I just want to say thanks for the love,” Tjay said in the clip. “Seven shots, it was tough, you know. Most people don’t survive it, but I’m here for a reason. New music coming soon, we’re going to come back stronger than ever.” Pitchfork has reached out to Lil Tjay’s representatives for further information.
The 21-year-old artist and a 22-year-old man named Antoine Boyd were shot on June 22 at a local shopping plaza called 14 The Promenade, as TMZ, CBS New York, and NJ Advance Media for NJ.com reported at the time. Tjay had to undergo emergency surgery as a result of the shooting (the artist appears to be wearing a medical neck brace in his new video).
After news of Tjay’s hospitalization began to circulate, a 27-year-old man named Mohamed Konate was arrested in connection with the crime by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the New York City Police Department. He was charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault, and weapons-related offenses. Boyd and Jeffrey Valdez, who was also with Tjay at the time of the shooting, were arrested for unlawful weapon possession.
More recently, a billboard appeared in the Bronx—Lil Tjay’s native borough—with a message from the rapper: “I’m back.”
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