Troy Ave has dropped a new diss song aimed at Taxstone hours after testifying against his rival in his murder trial.
Billed as a “Taxstone Diss,” “Black Church” was unleashed on Monday (March 13) with an accompanying music video that finds the Brooklyn rapper rhyming in front of a church.
On the song, Troy reflects on his life and what he plans on doing now that he has taken the stand and shared his side of the 2016 Irving Plaza shooting that killed his bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter.
“Opposition I ruin them/ There’s two sides, you gotta be safe in choosing them/ Ain’t have a safety on since then be smart, though/ When n-ggas dumping, Troy Ave ain’t scared of nothing/ He backed the gun, somehow I sent him running/ I got a lawsuit coming/ You took a life but look at the life this generation is bumming/ I wouldn’t wanna live like that/ Back to Live Nation and my $32 million, no tax,” he raps.
The 37-year-old also shared the song on his Instagram page with a caption that revealed he has a new album on the way titled Dear Hater I Won.
“Drop some in the comments.. y’all love and support been crazy thank y’all US NEVER THEM #FreeTroyAve Album • Dear Hater I Won (COMING SOON) Label • THE ALMIGHTY BSB RECORDS,” he wrote.
Troy Ave testified on Monday, stating that he fired his gun on that fateful 2016 night out of fight or flight response after Taxstone allegedly shot at him first.
“If it’s fight or flight, I’m always going to fight because at that point you could die,” Ave reportedly told the Manhattan Supreme Court. “I’d rather die fighting. People die from leg shots. I’d rather die fighting than laying on the ground.
Describing the situation, he said: “When the shot goes off I see the light from the spark and I hear the shot. This is all happening fast. I get up and start fighting Taxstone, trying to take him, grab the gun, and another shot goes off. I put my leg up to kind of block the shot from hitting me in the face or chest.”
According to Troy, that’s when Tax shot him in both legs. Troy Ave said he was then able to wrestle the gun out of Tax’s hands — but it then misfired and that’s when he noticed his bodyguard laying face down on the ground.
McPhatter was pronounced dead in the aftermath. Two bystanders were also wounded.
Troy Ave was initially charged with attempted murder and gun possession for his role in the incident. While the Brooklyn-bred rapper was put behind bars at first, his legal team negotiated a one-year sentence — instead of the 15 years he could have faced — in exchange for his testimony at Taxstone’s trial.
Days before the trial began, Tax shared a tweet seemingly in reference to Troy Ave taking the stand, writing: “Can’t wait for this delusional lying ass bozo to testify on Monday !!!”
Troy Ave appeared to respond on Twitter, firing back with: “A call to action is crazy ‘I can’t wait’ Said the person with nothing but time…his friends cooked him VERY WELL DONE! I might jus bring the dessert , wat kind y’all want!? #UnSafeTho.”
