Quentene Williams, the Milwaukee rapper known as Funny $Money, was killed alongside 21-year-old rapper Dequaiseon Evans in a shooting that remains under investigation.
Milwaukee’s rap community is mourning the death of Funny $Money, the local rapper whose career became closely tied to the city’s distinctive hip-hop movement.
Funny $Money, born Quentene Williams, was 33 when he was killed in a shooting on Monday, August 17, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office and Milwaukee police information reported by FOX6 News. A second victim, 21-year-old Dequaiseon Evans, was also killed.
Police were called to the area of 31st Street and Cameron Avenue at about 3:40 p.m. and found the two men dead from gunshot wounds. The medical examiner’s office said both victims had been shot inside a music studio. A 28-year-old suspect was arrested, while authorities said the circumstances that led to the shooting remained under investigation. Criminal charges were being referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
That distinction is important as details surrounding the case continue to develop. Authorities have not publicly established a motive, and there is no verified basis for speculation about what led to the shooting.
A familiar figure in Milwaukee rap
For listeners following Milwaukee’s rap scene, Funny $Money was more than an emerging local artist.
Pitchfork described him as one of the important figures in the city’s recent hip-hop movement, highlighting his punchline-heavy style, use of R&B samples and connection to Milwaukee’s slap-oriented sound. The publication also noted his collaborations with artists including Sme Taxfree, Chicken P and Superthrowed Fay Fay.
His connection to the city’s rap culture was documented by Pitchfork before his death. In a 2023 examination of Milwaukee’s hip-hop community, the publication encountered Funny $Money alongside other figures from the city’s rapidly developing independent rap ecosystem.
That scene has developed a sound and culture of its own, built around heavy bass, distinctive rhythms, slang and a mixture of influences from cities including Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. Pitchfork described Milwaukee’s rap community as unusually self-contained while emphasizing the ambition of artists trying to build sustainable careers from within the city.
Funny $Money was one of the artists operating inside that environment.
The music behind the name
Williams maintained a steady recording presence throughout the past several years.
His 2022 project Don’t Talk 2 Much included “Rocky Balboa,” a track that Pitchfork highlighted for its combination of R&B textures and Milwaukee’s rhythmic sensibilities. Two years later, he released I Got the Hook Up Vol. 1: Big Bucks No Whammies, a project Pitchfork characterized as a loose homage to the sound and spirit of No Limit Records.
His output reflected an artist who remained deeply engaged with Milwaukee’s independent music culture rather than attempting to separate himself from it.
That local connection was part of what made his presence significant.
Milwaukee has historically produced talented rappers without receiving the same sustained national attention afforded to larger hip-hop markets. Pitchfork’s 2023 reporting described the city as an overlooked but highly active rap community, with artists developing their own networks, sounds and audiences.
Funny $Money emerged within that ecosystem and became a recognizable contributor to it.
A career shaped by a decision to pursue music
In a December 2025 interview with the Kid L Podcast, Williams spoke about his path toward taking rap seriously.
He discussed spending time in prison and watching Milwaukee artists such as Larry Bird and Gwapo Chapo develop while he was incarcerated. According to Pitchfork’s reporting, those experiences helped convince him that music could become a serious pursuit.
Williams acknowledged that his attention had previously been focused elsewhere, but he eventually decided to give rap a genuine opportunity.
That decision became the foundation for the recording career that followed.
His catalog, collaborations and continued presence within Milwaukee’s rap community established him as part of a generation attempting to turn the city’s underground momentum into something more lasting.
The death of two rappers
Williams was not the only member of Milwaukee’s rap community killed in the August 17 shooting.
Evans, who was 21 and known on the local scene as Lil Sheisty, was also killed. His family told FOX6 that he was an aspiring rapper and a father of three. Family members said he was at the recording studio with Williams, whom they described as his mentor and friend.
The deaths have therefore affected more than one part of Milwaukee’s music community.
Family members speaking to FOX6 also described the pain of repeatedly losing younger members of their community to gun violence and called for an end to what they described as a recurring cycle.
For Williams’ family, the loss has also been deeply personal. His nephew told WISN 12 News that his final exchange with his uncle involved telling him that he loved him and urging him to be safe. Williams replied that he was always safe.
Milwaukee loses a recognizable voice
Funny $Money’s death comes at a time when Milwaukee’s rap scene is receiving greater attention beyond the city.
His career was never defined solely by national chart success. Instead, his importance was rooted in his participation in a local culture where artists frequently collaborate, share audiences and help sustain a music scene that has developed largely on its own terms.
Pitchfork’s reporting on Milwaukee repeatedly emphasized that quality and ambition were not lacking in the city. The larger challenge has been creating enough infrastructure and opportunity for its artists to move beyond the local market.
Williams was part of that ongoing story.
His death at 33 leaves behind a catalog that documents his contribution to Milwaukee rap and a community now forced to reckon with the loss of one of its familiar voices.
The investigation into the August 17 shooting remains active. Police have arrested a 28-year-old suspect, but authorities have not publicly established what led to the killings. Until investigators release additional verified information, the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unresolved.
For now, Milwaukee is left to remember an artist who spent years building within its rap culture—and a 21-year-old rapper whose life and career were also cut short.
Funny $Money was 33. His music remains part of the Milwaukee rap story he helped shape.
