The video of murdered rapper Goonew’s body posted up ion a nightclub stage while onlookers partied around him caused outrage on social networking sites.
Goonew, real name Markelle Morrow, a Maryland rapper, was buried on Monday after being gunned down in March. His family chose to honor his life at Washington, D.C.’s Bliss Nightclub the day before he was buried.
Goonew’s body is seen propped upright in footage shared on social media as those tight with him partied and danced to loud music.
The corpse was dressed in an Amiri hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, with a crown atop his head.
As the video went viral, many Twitter users articulated their shock and disgust at the way Goonew’s family members chose to say farewell.
The rapper’s family, however, defended the unorthodox farewell in an interview with local D.C. Fox affiliate WTTG.
Patrice Morrow, Goonew’s mother, said she didn’t want guests to be sad, and that how she said farewell to her son was her prerogative.
“For all the negatives, people probably don’t even know nothing about us,” she said. “They have no idea. People just saying what they want to say and that’s fine. That’s perfectly fine. I’m pleased with how I sent my son away. I wish people would just let me grieve in peace.”
