Carl Beatson, aka Charmz, was ‘funny' and ‘kind’

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FRIENDS of an aspiring MC who was stabbed to death outside a nightclub have vowed to remember the “funny" and "charming” teen by promoting his first record and raising awareness of knife crime.

Carl Beatson, aka Charmz, was a talented rapper on the brink of a brilliant career in music with the single Buy Out ‘Da Bar, say pals, before he was knifed on Saturday.

The 19-year-old’s body was discovered by police who pulled over three cars near Waterloo station.

Beatson, from Norbury, south London, had been stabbed outside Club Life in Goding Street, Kennington, and was being driven to hospital by his friends when they were pulled over for jumping a red light.

He was pronounced dead at the scene just after 5.30am.

Beatson’s friend Christopher Coco told thelondonpaper that a group of friends are working with a production company to make a professional music video with an anti-knife crime message as a way of paying tribute to the university student.

Coco said: “Charmz loved music. It’s what he would have wanted. His life was cut short and it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t push his first single on MTV Base.

“A group of us are working with Double ‘M’ Productions to make a professional video and others are making T-shirts in his memory.

“I want the video to be finished before his funeral so that we can raise money to support his family.”

More than 3,000 people joined a tribute group for the teenager on Facebook on the day following his death, with hundreds of RIP messages to the "funny”, “talented” and “kind” musician.

"Charmz loved music. It’s what he would have wanted. His life was cut short and it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t push his first single"

Coco said: “Charmz was very popular. He had no problem with anyone and no-one hated him. He was funny, and, hence his nickname, charming.”

Beatson grew up in the capital and had finished his first year at De Montfort University in Leicester.

In his spare time, Beatson travelled around the UK rapping as half the music duo Kid n Play alongside DJ Sayps at events across London, the Midlands and at universities.

Using footage from these events, Double ‘M’ Productions has created a tribute video for Charmz, which can be viewed on Facebook by clicking here.

On the night Beatson was killed, the student was performing on stage as Kid n Play at Club Life, said Coco.

Coco, who performs as rapper Dirtee Drahmah, was also on stage at the Kennington event and said Beatson had a “good reception” from the crowd.

In response to the rapper’s tragic death, Beatson’s friends have vowed to raise awareness of anti-knife crime using Charmz’s first single.

Coco, whose own single Old Skool is released at the end of the month, said: “We’re showing an anti-knife crime message at the end of the video to raise awareness.

“We’re pushing the message because, in my personal opinion, the police aren’t doing enough.”

Officers arrested two men in connection with Beatson’s death. An 18-year-old and a 20-year-old are in custody at unnamed south London police stations.

More news on knife crime in the capital