Music promoter says Evon Young was an "up-and-coming artist"

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- People who knew Evon Young are shocked by the violent way in which he died. One of those is a man known well in the Milwaukee music scene, Willie Lampkin.

Lampkin is also known as "Salient." That's the business name he uses to help promote Milwaukee artists. Evon Young was one of them. Lampkin knew Young as "Yung LT." They worked together on artist showcases.

"Anytime someone put up Yung LT baby, they knew it was him, they know his saying, they know his dance," said Lampkin.

Lampkin even designed Young's latest album cover. Despite some of his videos that appear to promote drug use, Lampkin says he never saw Young using drugs at all. In fact, he believes it was Young simply playing a role.

"I never seen him do anything at all period. Whenever I seen him he's at my office and we talk, sit down, or we're out and about at a performance, recording and always trying to sell his music," said Lampkin.

Lampkin describes Young as a hard-working, up-and-coming artist who was always on time -- and often with his roommate Billy Griffin, who is now charged in Young's death.

"Just to know someone you hang around with all the time would do something like that to you. It's a bad situation, period," said Lampkin.

Lampkin says Young seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. But he says it's a future that was ripped away too soon.

"It's drastic, something to go through. And I just keep the prayers you know, for the family," said Lampkin.

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