Frank Raney Jr. was going to move to California. He had just released a rap album and he was going to pursue his music career. He was starting his own clothing line.
Instead, he died July 8. He was shot and killed about 6 a.m. in southeast Kansas City, near Bannister Road and McGee Street. He was 24 years old.
Raney was one of 84 people killed in homicides in Kansas City so far in 2017. The city has seen 50 percent more killings than it did in the same period in 2016.
Kansas City police have announced no arrests in the case and released no information about suspects. Raney’s death leaves friends and family grieving a young man they called a dreamer, a jokester and a cornball. They thought he had a bright future.
Performing as FrankieBTW, Raney had just released his first album, “Papi Chulo,” on iTunes in March. Those close to Raney believed he was on his way to success.
“He just did not give up on his dreams,” said his mother, Lanita Raney. “I loved that about him. Entrepreneurship was definitely in his blood.”
After high school, Raney spent a semester at Metropolitan Community College before leaving to focus on his music. Within three years, he produced two mixtapes and his first album.
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