‘No one wants to know more than me who did it’: Rapper’s mom and police need help finding killer

As the investigation continues into a rapper’s death, Columbus police are asking people to come forward with any information in the case.

Branden Denson, 32, of Columbus was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Pizza Hut at 4236 Buena Vista Road. A preliminary autopsy report shows he died of multiple gunshot wounds, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Tuesday.

Columbus police Maj. J.D. Hawk, head of the Investigative Services Bureau, said police are still looking at the case to figure out what happened to Denson.

“We need the public to come forward with any information they might have,” he said. “They need to contact the Homicide Unit.”

Patrol officers were called to the restaurant parking lot at 10:28 p.m. to check on a person shot. Officers found Denson dead of gunshot wounds. His body was found on the ground between his vehicle and another car in the parking lot.

Marcia Denson, the rapper’s mother, said she also wants to know more information in the death. Police still haven’t released her son’s black Jeep and other items recovered from the parking lot.

“No one wants to know more than me who did it,” she said. “I’m not even hounding police now. I just want to get through my son’s funeral.”

The service is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Words of Wisdom Christian Center in Columbus.

Known as “Billion Dollar BD,” Denson only had been singing for a year or more.

“This was not something that as a child he ever thought about,” she said. “He was promoting other people for a good three or four years. Someone asked him to do a rap and he did it and liked it.”

Some of his popular singles include “Power” and “BMF.”

“He was ready to bust out with his music,” she said. “Everyone in Columbus knew him. He performed in Columbus and Atlanta. He had CDs out. He was really blowing up.”

She recalled how Denson was always so nervous before he performed.

“Once he got going, he was fine,” she said. “Every time he got ready to do a performance, he would say I’m so nervous. He was getting better. He wrote all his own raps. He did it all himself.”

A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Denson came to Columbus about six years ago, she said.

Denson’s death is the eighth homicide investigated by Columbus police this year and the 11th recorded by the coroner’s office. It came five days after Alec Spencer, 24, was shot to death April 1 at an unlicensed club at 480 Andrews Road.

Anyone with information in Denson’s death should contact Cpl. Robert Nicholas at 706-225-4363 or robertnicholas@columbusga.org.

This story was originally published April 10, 2018 at 9:15 PM with the headline "‘No one wants to know more than me who did it’: Rapper’s mom and police need help finding killer."