Akilah Dasilva was one of the four people slain in the tragic Waffle House shooting in Tennessee.
When people die under tragic circumstances such as these — especially at such a young age — we ponder the legacy they've left behind. In the case of 23-year-old Dasilva, that legacy is a one of music.
According to The Tennessean, Dasilva was a well-known up-and-coming rapper and music video producer in the Nashville music community. Donning the stage name Natrix Dream, Dasilva worked with acts such as Mayr, Master Prophet and L. Royal.
Hip-hop artist Michael McDonald, whose stage name is OneMike, said that he spoke with Dasilva hours before the shooting because Dasilva was scheduled to produce a video for him.
"There were some big things in the works for that kid," McDonald said. "He was a real visionary, and he had a brighter future than most people could imagine. He had so many songs he could have put out."
Emerging R&B artist Kiya Lacey said Dasilva was dedicated to bringing fellow Nashville artists together to support each other.
"He came to a lot of my shows, and I wish I could have thanked him more for the encouragement,” said Lacey. “It is frightening that this could have been any of us. This Waffle House is walking distance from my father’s home.”
This is an act of terrorism.
We need to examine the fact that white men continue to kill masses.
Why is this a reoccurring event??? pic.twitter.com/axCQz1zZe0— Kiya Lacey ???? (@KiyaLacey) April 22, 2018
We lost one of Nashville’s artists in this shooting @NatrixDream
Thank you for the continuous support over the years man.
Thank you for coming to almost every show and cheering me on.
Your spirit lives on.— Kiya Lacey ???? (@KiyaLacey) April 22, 2018
This is heartbreaking
This Waffle House is walking distant from the crib— Kiya Lacey ???? (@KiyaLacey) April 22, 2018
You can listen to a few of Natrix Dream's tracks on his SoundCloud page. Check out one of his most poignant works, "Last Goodbye," below: