As the United States Marshals service continues its search for Naseem Roulack, who escaped from custody on Aug. 12 during a medical appointment at a Henrico hospital, his story has already shown up in a new rap song released last week.
Northern Virginia rapper Fawzi Malaika’s album, “Hoodbridge,” is available on YouTube and streaming services. Hoodbridge is a moniker for the area of Prince William County called Woodbridge, where Roulack lived. The 22-track album includes a cut titled “Escaped” which features a guest turn by “FreeLilNas,” an alias similar to the “Lil Nas” nickname Roulack uses, according to the department of corrections. A line in the song also refers to an “escapee,” before closing with a news report about Roulack’s escape from Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital, during which a reporter urges listeners not to approach him and to “just call 911.”
(NSFW)
Prior to his escape, Roulack, 21, was serving a 13-year sentence at Greensville Correctional Facility in Southside Virginia for aggravated malicious wounding, grand larceny and hit and run. WTVR CBS6 News reported that the officers guarding him at the hospital had fallen asleep. A freelance writer for Style reached out to the department of corrections for comment but had not received a response; we will update the story if he does.
Rappers releasing music while on the run isn’t a new concept. Perhaps the best-known example is Tay-K, who in 2017 was captured the day his song, “The Race,” was released. That song went platinum and, after a murder conviction, Tay-K remains in prison.
Local rapper Chance Fischer says the idea of a rapper recording music while a fugitive is indicative of a generation of artists focused on living in the moment and using social media to generate attention.
“I think it’s a thing that’s occurring particularly because of where we are in society,” he says. “It’s just a constant reminder of the territory that we’re in … [and] just how cautious or how reckless a person can be. Both things are going to have an immediate impact on you.”
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering $5,000 for information that leads to Roulack’s capture. Calls are being accepted at 1-877-WANTED2 and tips can also be sent via the United States Marshals Service tips app.
