‘It just does not make sense’: Friends mourn metro-east rapper fatally shot on I-70 bridge

The metro-east rapper fatally shot on the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge is being remembered for his kind heart and willingness to help anyone in need.

Troy Edwards is known in the rap community as “Mudd Bughatti.” One of his songs, “50,” has more than 1 million views on YouTube.

He died as a result of an unknown gunman shooting into his vehicle while he was driving on Interstate 70 at milepost 2 Sunday, Nov. 19 in St. Clair County.

No arrests have been announced in the shooting of the 35-year-old rapper, who survived a previous shooting when he suffered 11 gunshot wounds.

Brandi Johnson, a friend who calls herself Mudd Bughatti’s sister because they were like siblings, said he fought his way back from the shooting of two years ago.

“This situation is very difficult to swallow,” she said. “He was a nice person … he would give you the shirt off his back, anything you asked him for.

“He mentored many young, Black men and helped them to focus on positive things.

“It just does not make sense,” she said. “He cared about people and the East St. Louis community he is from. He was known locally and nationally for his rap music and kindness. He was an established rapper.”

Johnson said she is currently sick and on dialysis and she always knew she had Bughatti’s support and love.

“He came to see me in the hospital. He was there for me,” she said.

She said supporters of Bughatti such as her are known as “Mudd sisters” and “Mudd brothers.”

“He was just an overall great man,” Johnson said.

“Man, this really hurts,” she said. “I know so many others who feel the exact same way. Why him? The world lost a huge positive contributor to society. He gave back in so many ways. He was love.”

“The Mudd brothers, the Mudd family and the Mudd community are in deep mourning,” Johnson said. “We will not let his legacy die. He worked so hard and he did not hesitate when it came to sharing his knowledge, his love and his light.”

Marcus Palmer, a local DJ, said he has known Bughatti for 16 years.

“His music talked about where he came from,” Palmer said. “He had a couple of nice songs that were played by me and my DJ brothers all the time.”

Palmer and Johnson named the same two hits for Bugatti that became hugely popular and sent him on his way: “50”and “Sack Talk.”

“He was on radio shows everywhere,” Palmer said.

Palmer praised Bughatti for his character.

“He doesn’t have any negative energy with him,” Palmer said. “He was about the positive things. He gave back to the community. He gave away toys and all the stuff.”

“I can’t say anything bad about him,” he said. “There was nothing like that about him.

”He was a father, a son, a brother. He was a good man.”