Jacksonville rapper Ksoo admits guilt in 2019 teen killing, receives 10-year sentence atop life term
Plea resolves second homicide case tied to 2019 shooting at New Hope Apartments
A Jacksonville rapper known as Ksoo, whose legal name is Hakeem Robinson, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder in the 2019 killing of 16-year-old Adrien “Bibby” Gainer. The court imposed a 10-year prison sentence that will be served in addition to a life sentence Robinson is already serving for a separate murder conviction.
The plea was entered Monday. Gainer was shot to death on Feb. 25, 2019, at New Hope Apartments, a complex formerly known as Hilltop Village Apartments. Investigators documented extensive gunfire at the scene, recovering dozens of shell casings.
What investigators alleged in the 2019 case
Charging documents described a pursuit through the apartment complex followed by a close-range shooting. The arrest narrative also alleged that Robinson later posted images and videos on social media that investigators interpreted as bragging about the killing.
Robinson’s guilty plea ends the need for a trial on that 2019 homicide charge, which had remained pending while the separate 2020 murder case moved forward in court.
How the new sentence fits with the existing life term
Robinson’s 10-year sentence comes on top of a life sentence imposed after his conviction in the January 2020 murder of Charles “Lil Buck” McCormick Jr., who was 23. That killing occurred in broad daylight outside a shopping center in Arlington, at Dames Pointe Plaza on Merrill Road.
A jury found Robinson guilty of first-degree murder in that case in July 2025. The court later sentenced Robinson to life in prison. Co-defendant Leroy Whitaker Jr., described as Robinson’s cousin, was also convicted and received a life sentence.
Related prosecutions in the McCormick case
The McCormick investigation resulted in additional prosecutions of family members accused of helping after the shooting. Robinson’s brother, Abdul Robinson Jr., pleaded guilty to an accessory-after-the-fact charge and received a 12-year prison sentence. Robinson’s father, Abdul Robinson Sr., was sentenced to time served after his case was resolved.
Key timeline
Feb. 25, 2019: Adrien “Bibby” Gainer, 16, is killed at New Hope Apartments.
Jan. 15, 2020: Charles “Lil Buck” McCormick Jr., 23, is killed at an Arlington shopping center.
July 31, 2025: Robinson is convicted of first-degree murder in the McCormick case.
Feb. 23, 2026: Robinson pleads guilty to second-degree murder in the Gainer case and is sentenced to 10 years, consecutive to life.
The plea and sentence close one of two homicide cases that placed Robinson at the center of a series of prosecutions stemming from lethal violence in Jacksonville in 2019 and 2020.
Robinson will remain in state custody under the existing life sentence, with the newly imposed 10-year term added to that punishment.