Maino Stands Up For Taxstone After He Was Found Guilty In Troy Ave Shooting

By Tony M. Centeno

March 28, 2023

Maino, Taxstone and Troy Ave
Photo: Getty Images/Instagram

Maino is coming to Taxstone's defense after the podcaster was recently convicted for his role in a 2016 shooting involving Troy Ave.

During his time on Way Up With Angela Yee, the New York native opened up about his thoughts after Tax was found guilty of manslaughter. Maino told host Angela Yee that he was at T.I.'s show at Irving Plaza right before the shootout occurred. Based on what he saw that night, the Lobby Boyz rapper said he doesn't believe the narrative surrounding Tax's role in the shooting, which resulted in the death of Troy Ave's bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter.

“I was there. It happened in the dressing room that I was occupying with me and Uncle Murda," Maino explained. "We was performing that night – or we were set to perform that night. My only issue with that is I just don’t agree with the narrative that’s been put out there as if Taxstone was there to try to look for a problem. Taxstone was actually there chilling.”

“That man was there chilling, enjoying the moment and these other dudes came in there looking for a problem," he added. "These other dudes came in there with that energy looking to try to have a moment and the moment just didn’t go their way. So I’m just in disagreement with the whole narrative of becoming a victim after you tried to be an aggressor.”

The shooting reportedly occurred after a fight broke out between Troy Ave and Taxstone's camps before the "All About The Money" rapper was set to perform. Once gun shots were exchanged between both camps, McPhatter was fatally shot while Ave was shot in the leg. Surveillance video showed Ave fire a gun, which resulted in his arrest at a local hospital. Taxstone was arrested and hit with several charges including McPhatter's death. Ave was eventually released from custody, and later testified against Tax in court earlier this month. The rapper celebrated by releasing diss tracks aimed at the podcaster.

“Say the whole truth," Maino said of Troy Ave. "Don’t make it seem like that man was there to try to assassinate you and that’s not the truth. The truth of the matter is you actually came there on that time. You walked in there in that room and tried to create a situation. You thought that maybe you was gonna get you a Worldstar moment.”

Check out the entire clip below.

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