Hakeem ‘Ksoo’ Robinson & his cousin were previously sentenced to life in deadly shooting of Charles McCormick Jr.

Jacksonville rapper Hakeem Robinson, 26, better known by his stage name “Ksoo,” and co-defendant Leroy Whitaker, 24, appear in court for opening statements in their murder trials. (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Months after he and his cousin were sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 murder of 23-year-old Charles “Lil Buck” McCormick Jr., Hakeem “Ksoo” Robinson pleaded guilty in the death of another fellow Jacksonville rapper.

In the separate murder charge, Robinson admitted to fatally shooting 16-year-old Adrian “Lil Bibby” Gainer Jr at the Hilltop Village apartments on Feb. 25, 2019 — exactly seven years ago Wednesday.

Officers found Gainer’s body in the parking lot of the apartment complex after a 911 call that February afternoon. He died at the scene.

Hakeem ‘Ksoo’ Robinson pleads guilty in 2019 murder of 16-year-old ‘Lil Bibby’

Robinson was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in Gainer’s death.

Gainer’s parents later sued the apartment complex, claiming a lack of security contributed to the fatal shooting.

City Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman supported the Gainer’s lawsuit.

“A 16-year-old to get off the bus, to come visit a relative and be shot in broad daylight? I have a problem with that,” Pittman said in June 2019. “Everyone in this community, we are sick and tired of every time that you turn on the television, that there is a loss of a life. I want to say that we are behind this family.”

Friends and family of murder victim, Adrian Gainer, walk for him and other victims of gun violence

Gainer’s case took a back seat as Robinson went on trial, along with his cousin, Leroy Whitaker Jr., in the high-profile shooting death of McCormick, who was also killed “in broad daylight.”

Both Robinson and Whitaker were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Robinson’s brother, Abdul Robinson Jr., was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact in connection with McCormick’s 2020 ambush murder.

Their father, Abdul Robinson Sr., was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to helping Whitaker (his nephew) and Dominique “Butta” Barner escape after the shooting. Both Robinson Sr. and Barner testified against Hakeem and Whitaker at their trial.

Barner, who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Hakeem Robinson and Whitaker plan to appeal their convictions in McCormick’s murder.