Slain Baltimore rapper "President Davo" honored with mural, community vegetable garden

BALTIMORE -- Family and friends celebrated the life of murdered Baltimore rapper David Boykin, also known as "President Davo," with a mural and a community vegetable garden in his honor.

Boykin would have turned 29 on Sunday but he was shot and killed in Baltimore's South Clifton Park neighborhood on October 6, 2023.  

He was a well-known local rapper with more than 30,000 monthly Spotify listeners and 11 released albums before his untimely death.  

Nicole Queen, Boykin's mother, said a mural behind Payne Memorial Church perfectly captures what her son was about. 

"He feeds people," Queen said. "His production company is everybody eats, so I want to depict that. We're feeding the community, spiritually, physically, mentally."

Beneath the mural, a plot of land will be used for a fruit and vegetable garden in Boykin's honor to help feed people in the community. 

"He gave so much of himself so selflessly all the time that I don't feel like I lost," Queen added. "I just thank God for the opportunity to know him...to watch him grow as a man." 

Between the church and the community, Queen said they were able to give out about 100 backpacks, along with school supply kits for the neighborhood children.  

"This will be a space where people will recognize that just because there has been some blight and some death and some murder and some violence, doesn't mean that life and beauty can't come from those same grounds," said Rev. Melech Thomas, the senior pastor of Payne Memorial Church. 

Boykin used his voice to chase his dreams and lift up his community.

His grandmother Loretta Gardner, at the block party, said she wants to help others use their voice by getting them registered to vote. 

"This is what he would want us to do," Gardner said. "It's been uplifting."

Rev, Thomas said they hope to have the fruit and vegetable garden completed by March.