HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A rap star is back home in South Florida for a touching tribute to her late niece.
Heavy on Trina’s heart on Wednesday is her niece, Toni Chester, who was killed in a 2022 shooting.
The rapper addressed how she is honoring her relative’s memory during a VIP Q&A event hosted by 99 JAMZ in Hollywood.
Trina’s presence has always been powerful, but when she thinks about Chester, the sense of loss is palpable.
“She’s just like a reflection of me,” she told 7News. “That was my everyday — looking for hair, looking for this, ‘I need something online,’ how to fix the new phone, the latest whatever. She was just, like, always there, so it’s a big void, terribly.”
Police said Chester was fatally gunned down in a triple shooting in the area of Northwest 13th Avenue near 62nd Street in the Liberty City neighborhood, on July 20, 2022.
When asked how she’s feeling, Trina replied, “It’s overwhelming, that part of it. That’s like that’s, like, ugh, but I’m just going through it one day at a time, just trying to keep the love about her, most importantly.
Chester, or “Baby Suga,” as her family and friends called her, was only 17 years old.
“To think there’s a second life after that, it’s not, so yeah, it’s just the very thing that’s just terrible,” she said.
Some of Trina’s fans gathered for Wednesday’s live Q&A event with Chester on their minds.
“My condolences to the family, to her friends, to everybody that meant a lot to Trina,” said fan Kay Milan.
The star will help shine a light on the darkness of gun violence on Saturday during the annual Trina Day in Liberty City.
“This one I’m dedicating to her. This one is called ‘Welcome to Suga Land,'” she said.
The event will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Northwest 15th Avenue, between 63rd and 65th streets.
“We just have a lot of surprises. There’s giveaways, there’s games, there’s gifts for the kids, but most importantly, it’s just for the community to get together,” said Trina.
It’s a free community event.
“It is one of those things that I always think about, ’cause I grew up directly there,” said Trina.
As she continues to inspire new generations.
“We learn from her, mother of Miami, you know,” said Milan, “so we appreciate her, and it’s great that she has Dade-County under her wing, on her back.”
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