What was Goonew’s net worth at the time of his death?
Introduction
Goonew was a Maryland rapper most famous for his ‘Real Steppers’ single.
The single featured Lil Dude, and the rapper—who has also gone by the rap moniker Hood Rich Goon—racked up 1.3 million views on YouTube because of it.
Goonew had other relative hits, too: tracks like Nightmares, Drip & Ice, and Moesha, just to name a few.
The Maryland native was quite prolific for a stretch of time, until his career was cut short at just 24 years old.
Even after his tragic death, though, Goonew made headlines one more time thanks to a pretty unique memorial service held in his honor.
While some fans were horrified, many others respected that the young rapper’s family were doing what they thought best.
But what do we really know about Goonew and his family? Let’s find out.
The Origin Story
Markelle Antonio Morrow was born on May 14, 1997, in a rough neighborhood in Maryland.
He didn’t know much about his father, but he was raised by his mom, Patrice Parker Morrow, and grew up with his sister Ariana.
The family moved quite a lot, spending time in Gainesville and Clearwater, Florida, Washington, DC, and Martinsburg, West Virginia—before returning to District Heights in Maryland.
School was sporadic for Morrow, although he was largely credited as being a “smart kid.”
What Markelle Morrow really wanted, though, wasn’t in any school books.
He wanted a way to provide for his family.
Even after his untimely death, Patrice Parker Morrow would tell media outlets that “all he wanted to do is try to get his family out the hood.”
Rise and Fall
Goonew was a sociable guy, and what he lacked in experience, he more than made up for in connections.
He built up relationships with fellow rapper Lil Dude, who was also from the DMV area.
Fast fact: The DMV area stands for District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia—and is known as the National Capital Region.
Morrow and Lil Dude—who was already making a name for himself on the local hip-hop scene—teamed up to make a mixtape.
The mixtape, titled Homicide Boat, fell into the hands of another rapper: Lil Yachty.
Lil Yachty began collaborating with Goonew as a young up and comer, giving him more exposure and an opportunity to prove his worth on stage. The move was a savvy one, and in the summer of 2018, Morrow released his first album.
More hits would come, including Big 64, Goonrich Urkel, Still Servin, and several official music videos which have been viewed millions of time across social media.
And then, suddenly, it was all over.
On March 18, 2022, the Prince George County Police Department was called to a shooting in a District Heights parking lot.
Markelle had been mugged and shot.
Within several hours of the 5:40 pm shooting, Morrow had passed away at a local hospital, and police were offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his killer.
Markelle’s mother said he had gone out to drop off a present for his sister.
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That Funeral
Goonew was about to make headlines one more time—and this time, he was going international.
His family—with the blessing of his mom, Patrice, and his sister, Ariana—booked a Washington, DC, nightclub to hold the late rapper’s memorial service.
What they didn’t tell the venue, Bliss Nightclub, was that they would be bringing his embalmed body into the club and propping it up on stage.
Global media outlets reported on the very unique event, prompting the Morrow family to respond on social media.
Patrice said at the time:
“I’m pleased with how I sent my son away. I wish people would just let me grieve in peace.”
Displaying the body of a deceased loved one is not unheard of—although displaying it in a nightclub may be the problematic part.
Many cultures—like the Hindu, Maori, and some areas of Ghana—hold days-long ceremonies with an open casket.
Goonew – Net Worth
So, how much was Goonew worth?
Morrow earned most of his wealth from selling copies of his albums and mixtapes, including — Goonwick, Certified Goon, and Big 64.
Therefore, at the time of his death, Goonew had an estimated net worth of $1 million.
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As the owner of FamousPeopleToday.com and managing editor, Bulgarea Candin Stefan leads the way in creating informative and insightful content on celebrity net worths. His professional, authoritative voice shines through every article, providing readers with valuable, unique information.