Moment rapper threatens murder victim on YouTube - before knifing him in the neck in front of his horrified son
This is the horrifying moment a rapper threatened his murder victim on YouTube before brutally knifing him in front of his young son.
Renai Belle, 30, boasted of his 'gangster lifestyle' before stabbing father-of-two Josh McKay, 33 to death in a barbers on July 6, 2024.
Belle, who posted online under his nickname Topz had written a rap song the previous year threatening to attack Mr McKay.
In his video posted to YouTube, he rapped: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' and 'I pray every day that I buck JMK,' referring to Josh McKay.
Police tried to save Mr McKay but were unsuccessful and Belle was convicted of murder.
A year prior to the fatal stabbing, Belle posted a song on YoutTube where he directly threatened Mr McKay.
In the song, Belle bragged about his gangster lifestyle and his intention to hurt the father-of-two.
In the three-minute song, the rap included the lines: 'How many times I put my flicky in man's head?' which Louis Mably, KC, prosecuting told the Old Bailey is a reference to stabbing someone in the head with a flick knife.
Belle crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay (pictured) in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans
Another line stated: 'I pray every day that I buck JMK.'
Mr Mably explained: 'This is a reference to meeting JMK, and the inference is this is Josh McKay,' the prosecutor said.
The rap continued: 'That's a good day, not for him though, jakes (police) couldn't catch me...'
A year later, Belle carried out his intention and attacked Mr McKay in a barber shop in East London.
He crept into Hollywood Cuts in Leyton wearing a balaclava before stabbing Mr McKay in the neck while he and his barber discussed holiday plans.
The violent attacker was helped by his teaching assistant girlfriend Tenika Parker, 39, and 22-year-old Daniel Cooper, the Old Bailey heard.
Following the gruesome stabbing police descended on the barbershop and tried to save the father-of-two using a scarf to stem the bleeding from the wound but he was unresponsive.
The officers began CPR and carried on trying to revive the man until paramedics arrived but there was no pulse.
Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' (Belle pictured walking to the barbershop in a balaclava)
After the fatal stabbing, Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop and CCTV caught the moment Belle fled the scene (pictured)
Specialist medics including a doctor even performed an emergency operation on the side of the road, but nothing could be done to revive Mr McKay and he was pronounced dead at 3.53pm.
Mr Mably said: 'The colour had drained from his face, his eyes were wide open, and he was not breathing.'
The prosecutor told the court it appeared Belle 'had an existing, violent hostility towards Mr McKay.'
There were no cameras inside the shop but CCTV footage outside showed Mr McKay and his son arriving in their car 30 minutes before the attack.
'Footage also showed that at that time, Mr Belle was also in the very same area. He was in a car, and then on foot, in the same area of Lea Bridge Road, at the same time, going right past the barber's,' the prosecutor said.
The attack was carried out 25 minutes later.
'What happened in those 25 minutes? Because he didn't go straight in,' the prosecutor said.
'What happened is that straightaway, and very quickly, he saw the opportunity, and made preparations for the attack to make sure he could carry it out before Mr McKay had finished having his hair cut.
'What he did was to go off and get the knife, and the balaclava, before coming back and creeping into the shop.'
Barber Wray Esson, who was cutting Mr McKay's hair said the pair were 'talking about holiday plans, when all of a sudden he saw a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door,' said Mr Mably.
'He thought it was a joke at first, but then saw the man had a large kitchen knife in his hand.
'The man approached Mr McKay, and just as Mr McKay swivelled round on the chair to see what was going on, the man plunged the knife into his neck, and then pulled the knife out.
'Mr McKay stood up. The man went to stab him again but Mr McKay put his arms up to defend himself.
'There was a scuffle and the knife fell to the ground.'
Mr McKay grabbed the blade and 'went for the attacker' chasing him out of the shop.
Passer-by Debbie Osu saw a man wearing dark clothes with a hood up 'creeping towards the shop' carrying something close to his leg.
Moments later Mr McKay came out holding the knife after disarming the attacker, the court heard.
Ms Osu heard Mr McKay say: 'I can't believe he caught me.'
The prosecutor said the witness saw Mr McKay's distraught son outside saying 'that's my dad.'
Parker and Cooper helped Belle carry out the attack, it was said.
'Tanika Parker was obviously a close friend and associate of Mr Belle - it seems they were in fact in a relationship,' the prosecutor said.
Parker drove Belle drove to Lea Bridge Road in her SsangYong Turismo, the court heard.
The prosecutor said telephone records show Belle had been in touch with Cooper that day asking him 'to provide him with the knife and balaclava'.
CCTV footage showed that Belle and Parker attended Cooper's address to collects balaclava and knife, the court heard.
Parker was arrested on the night of 7 July while Belle was arrested the next day.
He made no comment in police interviews.
Parker gave a written statement, in which he said she was in a relationship with Belle, but denied knowing that he was going to carry out an attack.
Parker was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and Cooper was arrested after handing himself in to police
She was stopped by police while driving the car that had been identified as involved in the murder and after a search of the vehicle, officers found distinct black sliders Belle was seen wearing in CCTV footage, as well as traces of blood that officers sent for forensic testing.
Parker was rearrested on Wednesday, 2 October, and charged with perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage showed her attempting to clean her car after the attack to remove any evidence.
Belle, of Edmonton, denied but was convicted of murder.
Parker and Cooper, both of Walthamstow, denied murder and were cleared by the jury.
Parker was cleared of murder by the jury along with Cooper.
Cooper had admitted possessing a bladed article, while Parker denied but was convicted of that offence.
Parker denied but was unanimously convicted of perverting the course of justice by cleaning her SsangYong Turismo SUV after the attack.
Belle and Parker will return for sentence at the Old Bailey on 30 July.
Cooper will be sentenced separately on Friday.
Detective Inspector Chris Griffith, from Specialist Crime North, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a savage and pre-planned attack, committed in broad daylight and with scant regard for passers-by. What took place left the local community reeling, and two young children without their father.
'My heart goes out to Josh's family and friends. He was a loving parent, whose life was ended in the most horrendous way.
'I hope that today's result provides Josh's family with some closure, and allows the community to feel safer knowing that Belle is no longer free to commit such heinous crimes.'
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