Dead Body Of Rapper Goonew Displayed At D.C. Nightclub, Sparking A Massive Vibe Check Online

A viral video of slain rapper Goonew’s dead body propped up at a Washington, D.C. nightclub made the rounds on social media this week, shocking many people while sparking debates and memes about whether giving an embalmed body a nightclub funeral is a good idea.

Goonew (whose real name is Markelle Morrow) was killed on March 18th in Prince George’s County Maryland, and his murder remains unsolved. The rapper was 24 years old at the time of his death and was both locally and nationally famous for songs like “Real Steppers” and “What It Was.”

That man probably jokingly said, "If I die take me to the club, moe." And they took it literally.#goonew

— Tree Lynn (@LovelyyLipzz) April 4, 2022

that goonew vid jus confirmed that ppl really don’t fear God anymore

— jess (@thejessog) April 4, 2022

Many fans of Goonew found the nightclub funeral to be at best highly bizarre and at worst disrespectful, venting their frustrations on platforms like Twitter. Many speculated that Goonew himself would not have wished to have his body displayed in the Bliss nightclub.

In response to the online criticism, Bliss put out a statement denying responsibility for the incident, while Goonew’s mother spoke to a local news station, saying that holding a funeral at the club was what the family wanted.

JUST IN: The club where Goonew's deceased body was stood on stage has released a statement responding to backlashThe club claims they weren't "made aware of what would transpire"https://t.co/DYccSoqzPL

— XXL Magazine (@XXL) April 4, 2022

Given the bizarre nature of the event, some made memes about the highly surreal display of the body.

Everyone in the club when Goonew reaches for the mic pic.twitter.com/xu7Ds85sk5

— Jimmy (@jimmy_koski) April 4, 2022

Me looking at Goonew on stage at Bliss. pic.twitter.com/xUflHMaXOq

— Mike Doobner🥷🏾 (@BigDoobner) April 4, 2022

Others wondered what the event said about the culture overall. Both Generation Z and the DMV came under criticism for what some characterized as "insensitivity" and "wackness."

if y’all saw that video with Goonew’s body y’all can’t tell me this society ain’t already collapsed…

— silent hater (@doompeyton) April 4, 2022

That Goonew shit just set us back at least 35 years

— 💔 (@killmesIime) April 4, 2022

y’all are sick ! a funeral in a night club, that don’t raise your eyebrows ? and mfs in the dmv gladly went ? being in a room with a dead body is already uncomfortable enough . this generation has no sense of sensitivity when it comes to death #Goonew

— eryka 🥂 (@eryka_briana) April 4, 2022

Among those who weren't fans, a few also defended the decision to display Goonew’s body.

If Goonew family okay with having his body out there like that I don’t feel like it’s anybody who isn’t his family’s place to speak ill of how they remember him

— Jason (@GED_Jacee) April 4, 2022

The rapper’s funeral was already a spectacle even before the nightclub episode, as his body was pulled by a horsedrawn carriage through the city and followed down the streets by crowds of mourners.

The funeral procession for the rapper #Goonew in District Heights. The musician’s casket carried through his neighborhood on a horse drawn hearse in front of cheering fans. He was murdered March 18th. The case is unsolved pic.twitter.com/vbqE8XElVu

— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) April 4, 2022

Goonew’s untimely death at a young age and his family’s decision to hold a highly public funeral have whipped up a lot of feelings on social media, representing a very weird and kind of macabre chapter of the early 2020s.