New Jersey

Philly Rapper Beanie Sigel Still Alive, Death Rumors a Hoax: Police

Rapper Beanie Sigel did not die earlier this week despite a rumor going around online that the Philly rap icon passed away after being shot.

Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the stomach on the morning of Dec. 5 in Pleasantville, Camden County, New Jersey.

On Tuesday, NahaDaily.com posted that Sigel, 40, succumbed to his injuries and died. The satirical website said the death announcement came via Sigel’s own mother’s Instagram account.

The (fake) news spread Christmas Day as hundreds of people turned to Twitter to remember Beanie or ask the question if he really died.

Turns out the rumors of Sigel’s demise were simply a hoax, according to police.

Sigel remained hospitalized on Christmas, Pleasantville Police Chief Jose Ruiz told NBC10 Thursday.

Turns out the Naha satirical story had all sort of clues pointing to it being inaccurate including that Sigel was struck during a shootout last week (not earlier this month) and also contained a strange bit about the State Property rapper saying with his dying breath that he didn't want any snakes at his funeral “so he expects only his mother to show up.”

Authorities still have not named suspects in Sigel’s shooting, only a couple of persons of interest including Sigel’s own sister-in-law.

Police said it didn’t appear that Sigel was the intended target of the shooting.

Sigel was released from federal prison in August after serving a two-year sentence for tax evasion, spent time in a Philadelphia halfway house and was serving out his probation on electronic monitoring in the Atlantic County community when he was shot.

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