American rapper Cardi B has reacted to the Javits Frimpong killing, saying the death of the Ghanaian teenager is one reason she would never raise her children in the Bronx or send them to a New York public school.
Speaking during an Instagram Live session, the Bronx native drew on her own childhood experiences with bullying and gang culture as she discussed the death of the 15 year old, who was shot while walking to school on Thursday, October 29.
“What happened to Javits is the reason why I will never raise a kid in the Bronx.
“I swear to God, I will never raise no kid in a New York public school.” - Cardi B
Her comments have added another prominent voice to the public discussion surrounding the teenager’s death and claims by his father that Javits had faced bullying before the shooting. Police have not established bullying as the motive for the killing.
Cardi B Links Bullying to Gang Culture
Cardi said bullying in some New York neighbourhoods can begin much earlier than many adults realise.
She rejected the idea that young people can always avoid trouble simply by keeping to themselves, arguing that children who are repeatedly targeted may eventually seek protection from groups or gangs.
“What does bullying makes you do?” she asked. “That makes you want to join a gang.”
Cardi said she understood that cycle personally. “Because that’s practically what happened to me,” she said.
She argued that children who feel outnumbered may look for their own group so they are no longer easy targets.
The rapper, who grew up in the Bronx, said the experience shaped her own thinking about where she wants her children to grow up and attend school.
Father Says Javits Had Reported Bullying
Javits moved from Ghana to New York about a year ago to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong.
He was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. while heading to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx. Police officers transported him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he later died.
His father said school officials had contacted him days before the killing about problems involving other students.
“They said that two boys had been suspended because my son always complained that they're bullying him,” Mr Frimpong said.
He has described his son as quiet and intelligent and said Javits generally returned home after school rather than spending much time outside.
Police are searching for three people in connection with the shooting. No arrests have been announced, and investigators have not publicly confirmed that the school bullying allegations are linked to the attack.
A Boogie, Michael Blackson Join Tributes
The killing has drawn reactions from entertainers with connections to the Bronx and Ghana.
Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie paused a concert at UBS Arena on Friday night to remember Javits, displaying the teenager’s photograph before asking the audience to observe a moment of silence.
“He just came here from Africa to America about a year ago, and he passed away due to a gunshot wound,” he told the crowd.
Ghanaian American comedian Michael Blackson has also spoken about being bullied after arriving in the United States as an African immigrant. He said he intends to visit schools and speak with young people, particularly immigrant students, about bullying and seeking help.
Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has also mourned Javits and called for greater responsibility in how children are raised.
Calls for Justice Grow
Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres has joined calls for justice, noting that Javits had come to the United States only a year earlier to begin a new life with his father.
The killing has also prompted calls from Ghanaian community groups for investigators to examine whether the bullying reported by the family had any connection to the shooting.
For Cardi B, the teenager’s death has opened a wider conversation about what happens when bullying, fear and the search for protection become part of childhood.
For the Frimpong family, however, the immediate concern remains finding those responsible for killing a teenager who left Ghana expecting a new life in New York.
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