Who is Nay Benz? The teenage female drill rapper, Bronx 'gang leader' arrested in NYPD takedown
BRONX - FOX 5 got an exclusive look into one of New York City's most violent gang members, among them being alleged gang leader and aspiring drill rapper, Nay Benz.
Besides her delivery and grit, attributes such as her age, gender, and missing finger not only set her apart in the drill scene but have also made her a target for law enforcement.
Nay Benz, 18, whose real name is Nadine Asamoah, is the alleged head honcho of the Slattery Gang, a notorious group from the Fordham section of the Bronx known for terrorizing their community.
After being released from Brookwood Juvenile facility Upstate a few months ago, Benz was arrested in July following a 176-count conspiracy indictment.
The Slattery Gang, also known as "Slaughtery" and "S-block", is responsible for over a dozen shootings and attempted murders, according to the NYPD.
Who is Nay Benz?
"What NYC Sounds Like" April interview on YouTube.
Benz specifically, is accused of using her music to promote violence by recounting alleged crimes.
Benz's music has garnered millions of views online and many critics consider her a front-runner in the drill rap scene.
"Jail Freestyle" and "Don't Run", which she says she wrote and recorded from jail, are among her most popular songs, gaining over a million views on YouTube combined.
In an April interview with "What NYC Sounds Like," a drill music commentary platform, Benz talked about getting out of jail and what her plans were moving forward.
"All I'm around is love and support," she said.
"Don't Run" by Nay Benz music video.
When asked what kind of image she was trying to portray, she responded by saying, "I'm just me."
When asked about Slaughtery and the neighborhood where she grew up, she said, "we're the real definition of loyalty over here."
Benz didn't address the violence in her neighborhood but briefly talked about fighting a teenage boy while in jail.
Authorities say that they are not out to stop drill rap, which has been blamed for recent violence on the city's streets, but only to stop crime.
All of the defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
Who are the Slattery Gang?
Crime & drill rap's growing legal troubles
Fox 5 NY's Lisa Evers looks into the hip-hop genre of drill rap that's getting a lot of attention from its growing number of fans, as well as from the growing number of criminal indictments wrapped up by some of its most promising artists – even after they get a record deal.
"Nineteen of them are trigger pullers, predominantly, across the board. They've pulled the trigger more than once," said Assistant Chief Jason Savino of the NYPD Detective Bureau. "It's almost like they were competing with each other to see who could shoot more times."
The average age of the suspects is 20, with even teenage girls like Nay Benz being involved in the violence.
The criminal crew is not only accused of shooting their victims, but they also make music mocking them by describing the attack in detail.
In some instances, members were caught firing shots in playgrounds and in front of school buses with children around. In one incident, a 9-year-old boy called 911 for help because he found himself caught in the line of fire.
After a nearly 12 months-long investigation, the NPYD put 20 alleged gang members behind bars, including the prominent drill rapper.
FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers joined members of the NYPD's Gun Violence Suppression Division along with detectives from Bronx precincts and warrant squads as they conducted the mission.
The gang was also slammed with a 176-count conspiracy indictment, according to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.
The charges span from attempted murder to robbery and weapons possession.
"Broad daylight shooters, you're talking about a 15-year-old girl who let 15 rounds go off on a street, a 15-year-old girl, that's just insane," said Deputy Inspector Craig Edelman, Commanding Officer of the GVSD. "They're shooting at each other with the yellow school bus in between."