Judge to decide if Yella Beezy lyrics can be used as evidence in MO3 murder trial
Rapper Yella Beezy, alleged hitman appears in court
A judge could decide on Friday whether music lyrics can be used as evidence in a murder-for-hire case between two Dallas rappers.
DALLAS - A judge ruled Friday that alleged hitman Kewon Dontrell White will stand trial before rapper Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Conway.
Yella Beezy Murder Trial
Yella Beezy and MO3
What's new:
The judge also asked attorneys to make sure all three defendants in the alleged murder-for-hire plot are ready to stand trial on Aug. 24 in case a plea deal changes the schedule.
The judge said she will decide at a later date whether rap lyrics can be used as evidence in the case.
What we know:
Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Conway, is accused of hiring someone to kill rival rapper MO3, whose real name is Melvin Noble.
Conway's attorneys and prosecutors also argued over which defendant should be tried first. White's attorneys argued Conway's trial could reveal evidence, including financial records, that could benefit White's defense. Prosecutors argued White's attorneys have had years to obtain those records on their own.
Prosecutors also claim Conway's lyrics reveal a bounty was placed on Noble, and that he later celebrated his death. The defense argues the lyrics are artistic expression and not facts.
What's next:
White is scheduled to stand trial first on Aug. 24. Conway's trial date has not yet been finalized.
If Conway is convicted of capital murder, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
MO3’s Murder
Dallas rapper MO3
The backstory:
Conway, 33, was arrested in March 2025 after a Dallas County grand jury indicted him on a charge of capital murder while remuneration. Capital murder with remuneration means hiring someone to commit murder.
Prosecutors allege Conway orchestrated the "hit" on his rap rival. Noble was gunned down in broad daylight on Nov. 11, 2020, while driving on Interstate 35E in Dallas.
Dallas rapper Yella Beezy charged with hiring hitman to kill fellow rapper Mo3
Investigators now say rapper Yella Beezy was behind the ambush-style murder of fellow rapper Mo3 in the middle of the day on I-35 back in 2020.
Conway is accused of hiring Kewon Dontrell White to carry out the shooting because of a long-standing feud between the two artists.
White was arrested in December 2020 and is currently serving an 8-year and 9-month federal prison sentence on firearm charges related to the incident. He will face trial for Noble's murder on Aug. 24.
The Source: The information in this story comes from pre-trial hearings earlier this week and past news coverage.