Memphis, March 23, 2025 | Houston rapper Sauce Walka is breathing a sigh of relief tonight, recovering in a hospital bed after surviving a brazen daylight shooting outside a downtown Memphis hotel that claimed the life of another man. The 34-year-old, whose real name is Albert Walker Mondane, was hit in the leg during the attack on Saturday afternoon, March 22, near the FedExForum an area usually pulsing with basketball fans, not gunfire. As of this evening, he’s stable, expected to make a full recovery, and even managed to walk out of the hospital earlier today, according to those close to him. But the relief is bittersweet: the man with him, widely believed to be his artist Sayso P, didn’t make it.
The chaos erupted around 2:42 p.m. yesterday on George W. Lee Avenue, just steps from the Westin Hotel. Witnesses heard a quick burst three to five shots before a suspect vehicle sped off, leaving behind a scene of flashing police lights and stunned onlookers. “It was broad daylight, right where people walk every day,” said Jamal Carter, a local vendor who saw the aftermath. “One minute it’s normal, the next there’s blood on the pavement.” Memphis police swarmed the area, shutting down roads and piecing together what they now call a targeted hit.
Authorities confirmed late Saturday that Sauce Walka and the other victim pronounced dead at the scene were sought out by the gunmen, ruling out a random act. “This wasn’t some stray bullet situation,” a police spokesperson said during a press conference, though they’ve kept tight-lipped on suspects or motives. For Walka, the bullet tore through his thigh, landing him at Regional One Health hospital in critical condition at first. By Sunday morning, his status had upgraded to non-critical, and his father, Albert Walker, told Houston media his son would pull through. “He’s tough,” Walker said, a sentiment echoed by fans online who’ve watched the rapper dodge trouble before.
The loss of Sayso P, a rising star signed to Walka’s The Sauce Factory (TSF) label, has hit hard. Though police haven’t officially named the deceased, posts on X and reports from Walka’s camp point to the young artist, who’d been partying with Sauce and rapper YTB Fatt just hours before the shooting. “Sayso was family,” one friend tweeted, capturing the grief rippling through Houston’s rap scene. Video from the night before showed the crew in high spirits smiling, posing, living the life making the tragedy feel even sharper.
For Walka, this isn’t his first brush with danger. Back in 2009, he was caught up in a gun incident at a Trae Tha Truth concert, and in 2018, police linked him to gang activity claims he’s fiercely denied. “I’m an artist, not a gangster,” he told the Houston Chronicle then, pushing back against the narrative. Saturday’s shooting, though, has fans and foes alike wondering if old shadows caught up with him or if this was something new entirely. “He’s got enemies, sure, but who doesn’t in this game?” said Marcus Green, a longtime follower from Houston. “Still, losing Sayso like that it’s heavy.”
Tonight, as Walka rests released from the hospital but likely still under watch Memphis is quieter, the crime scene cleared but the questions loud. Sosamann’s manager, speaking to reporters, confirmed Walka was questioned by police post-discharge and that fellow TSF rapper Sosamann, also in town, emerged unscathed. The investigation’s heating up, with cops chasing a “promising lead,” per local outlets, but no arrests yet.
In Port Harcourt or Houston, where Walka’s “Sauce” movement reshaped rap culture, the mood’s a mix of gratitude and mourning. “He’s alive, thank God,” said Aisha Bello, a fan who caught his last show in Texas. “But losing Sayso P it’s like a piece of the family’s gone.” Online, the chatter’s nonstop some praising Walka’s resilience, others grieving a talent cut short. For now, the rapper’s camp is staying low, focused on healing and answers. One thing’s clear: in a life full of drips and close calls, Sauce Walka’s still standing just not without scars.