Demetrius Cruz, 15, didn’t like to be alone. If he woke up in the morning and none of his four siblings were awake yet, he knocked on their doors and rapped lyrics to songs. When his younger brother was trapped at a certain level in a video game, Demetrius offered to help or suggested leaving the game to play football outside. He bought and traded baseball hats with his cousin, and owned about 20 that he rotated to match each day’s outfit. Although he was a fan of the Denver Broncos (he was born and raised in Denver, Colo.), he collected hats of all sports teams.
From the moment he woke up until the moment he fell asleep, he rapped lyrics that he had created or were from mainstream songs. “The only time he wasn’t singing was when he was eating, and after that he would start singing again,” his brother, Donovon Cruz, told msnbc.com. When he was younger, Demetrius, who was referred to as “Meech,” wanted to be a firefighter, scientist, or astronaut. But once he grew older, being a professional rapper became the focus of his dreams.
Demetrius was shot and killed in Denver while riding in a car with his cousin on Dec. 15, 2012.
Michele Richinick