Lor Scoota remembered as 'son of Baltimore' who defied and overcame odds

by Christine Boynton

Wednesday, Jun 29th 2016

Family and friends of Tyriece "Lor Scoota" Watson joined community leaders on Wednesday morning to address his death. (WBFF)

BALTIMORE (WBFF) -- Family and friends of Tyriece "Lor Scoota" Watson joined community leaders on Wednesday morning to address his death.

"We're out here today because we need to change the narrative," said Minister Marvin Mckenstry, Jr. "Scoota was not just a local rapper. He wasn't. He was a son of Baltimore that defied and overcame all of the odds that so many of us have faced to achieve the level of a nationally known recording artist. We need to recognize him for the artistry. So far his legacy has been overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding his death. We declare today that we want people to see past that as we continue to pray and seek justice in his murder that we begin today to celebrate as a city, as a community and as a people, the life and legacy of this talented, brilliant young man."

Wednesday's remarks were made outside the Royal Theater at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and West Lafayette Avenue.

"We're here again at a very historic space," said Stand Up Baltimore's Derrick Chase. "This is Pennsylvania Avenue and we all know of the history of Pennsylvania Avenue. If you look right above our shoulder you'll see this wonderful, glorious woman called Billie Holiday and Lor Scoota was this generation's Billie Holiday. It's only befitting if Billie Holiday transitioned on last Sunday that we would do something to honor her legacy...her impact on the national community."

Chase announced a community partnership with Baltimore organizations, Baltimore Police and the Mayor's Office, which he said will celebrate Scoota's life and legacy.

"A lot of people don't really understand his impact," said Chase. "However, if you were to look at the countless comments and 'likes' you'll see a young man who not just delivered hip hop in a very unique fashion, who was not just a reporter for what happens in Baltimore, sometimes we get it twisted. Lor Scoota was a mirror of the conditions of Baltimore and what he did is he used his platform to take the message of Baltimore all over the world and we applaud him for that."

Chase asked parents to take some time to sit down with their children who loved Scoota's music and listen to the lyrics.

He noted that various hip-hop artists from the community will perform between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Scoota's Thursday visitation, to celebrate his life. The visitation is being held at the Wylie Funeral Home from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The funeral will take place on Friday at 12 p.m. at the Empowerment Temple. A community repass will follow, near the Royal Theater.

"I can say that the city is hurt," said Scoota's personal assistant Alexis Savage. "More importantly the children are hurt. One question I asked myself and I asked many times is, 'when he murdered you and he killed you, did he look into your eyes and see the millions of children's dreams that he crushed?' Scoota had a gift that many don't have. Sometimes parents we can't speak to our kids, sometimes we're hard on our kids but Scoota had a way of getting to the children and getting to adults a message of love, of truth, of what we face in the streets."

She added, "We love Scoota. I loved Scoota and I promise and I vow that his legacy does not end after Saturday."

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