Durham rapper Billy Resio was gunned down in a drive-by shooting Sunday night, cutting short the life of an artist who had just signed with Rich Nation Entertainment LLC, which has artists like Petey Pablo on the label.
The 30-year-old performer, whose real name was Irease Jeffrey, died at the hospital after someone in a passing vehicle opened fire on his car.
Police said Jeffrey was driving his 2024 Chevrolet Malibu west on Hillsborough Road around 9 P.M. when a second vehicle pulled alongside and began shooting. The attack happened in the 3500 block of Hillsborough Road, where Jeffrey lost control of his car before it came to rest in a nearby parking lot.
A woman passenger in Jeffrey’s car suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to the hospital. Durham police have not released her identity or current condition, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the shooting.
Jeffrey performed under the stage name Billy Resio and had recently collaborated with NBA YoungBoy on the track “Labeled Me Top Shotta.“ The song was distributed through Rich Nation Entertainment LLC, the Miami-based label that had signed Jeffrey to develop his career.
Rich Nation CEO Michael Mitchell said Jeffrey was planning to relocate from Durham to Miami to focus on his music career. Mitchell described the rapper as having natural talent and said they had discussed moving Jeffrey away from the violence in Durham.
“He was just a natural, like he was born to do it,” Mitchell told WRAL News. “Wish I could have saved him because we had talked about him moving out of Durham and coming down here to Miami.”
Jeffrey’s music catalog included tracks like “No Lie” and “Bonnie and Clyde,” showcasing his lyrical abilities and emotional depth. Mitchell said Jeffrey’s collaboration with NBA YoungBoy demonstrated Jeffrey’s potential for mainstream success.
The shooting adds to Durham’s ongoing struggle with gun violence, which claimed multiple lives during the holiday period. Jeffrey leaves behind a one-year-old son, whom Mitchell said was the center of the rapper’s world.
“He wanted to be to his son what his father was to him,” Mitchell said, adding that Jeffrey’s music would have taken off if given more time to develop.
Durham police have not provided information about potential suspects or whether the shooter and victims knew each other. The investigation remains active as detectives work to determine the motive behind the attack.
Mitchell posted tributes on social media calling Jeffrey “pure heart, raw truth, hunger, and loyalty,” promising that his artist’s legacy would be protected. The CEO said Jeffrey’s unreleased music would continue to be promoted through Rich Nation Entertainment.
The fatal shooting occurred during a violent start to 2026 in Durham, where gun violence has become a persistent problem affecting the local music community. Jeffrey’s death represents another loss of young talent to street violence in North Carolina.
Police are asking anyone with information about the Hillsborough Road shooting to contact Durham investigators as they work to identify the suspects responsible for Jeffrey’s death.
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