Ukil Grandberry: Life, Career, and Tragic Death of Music Producer Keeze Capone

Who was Ukil Grandberry, and what happened to her?

Ukil Grandberry, known professionally as Keeze Capone, was a music producer and entrepreneur from Flint, Michigan, who died at age 26 in May 2019. While her musical career with Fleetwood Mac connections remains undocumented, her work as a hip-hop producer and community advocate left a significant mark on her hometown. Her life story reflects determination, family commitment, and artistic ambition cut short by violence.

This article examines Ukil Grandberry’s life journey, her work in music and business, the circumstances of her death, and how her community continues to honor her memory.

Who is Ukil Grandberry?

Ukil Grandberry was a music producer, entrepreneur, and mother from Flint, Michigan. Though not widely known outside her community, she built meaningful connections through her work and personality. She pursued music production under the stage name Keeze Capone while managing business ventures, including a clothing boutique and entertainment company.

Her sudden death in 2019 affected the Flint community deeply. Friends described her as someone with clear goals and the drive to achieve them. This profile explores her background, career path, the incident that ended her life, and the ways people have preserved her memory.

Early Life and Family Background

1. Humble Beginnings

Ukil Dominique Grandberry was born on November 18, 1992, in Flint, Michigan. Her parents, Ukil Grandberry Sr. and Cotina Grandberry, raised her alongside siblings Jakia and Ukil Jr. in Flint’s north side. The family faced the economic challenges common to the area but maintained close relationships and community ties.

Growing up in Flint meant navigating a city dealing with industrial decline and limited resources. The Grandberry family worked through these circumstances together while hoping to contribute to positive change in their neighborhood.

2. Overcoming Adversity

Ukil’s childhood included challenges when her father dealt with legal issues. Her mother became the primary provider, working to support the children while teaching them strong values and a work ethic. These lessons influenced Ukil’s approach to her own goals later in life.

She attended Flint Public Schools, where teachers noted her respectful demeanor and leadership among classmates. During high school, Ukil worked part-time jobs to help with family expenses while keeping up with her studies. Outside of class, she participated in sports, particularly enjoying basketball and football.

3. Higher Education

After high school graduation, Ukil enrolled at Mott Community College in Flint, pursuing an associate degree in communications. She became the first family member to attend college, viewing this as a way to set an example for Jakia and Ukil Jr.

She completed her associate degree in 2015. The achievement represented both personal accomplishment and a milestone for her family, opening doors for her siblings to consider higher education as well.

Personal Life

Family remained central to Ukil Grandberry’s priorities. She maintained regular contact with her parents and shared a close relationship with her siblings. Jakia viewed her older sister as someone to look up to, appreciating her positive attitude and ability to follow through on commitments. Ukil Jr. tried to mirror his sister’s actions, and she took the mentoring role seriously.

In 2014, Ukil became a mother to her son, Ukil Dominique Grandberry Jr. Motherhood shifted her perspective and strengthened her determination to build a stable future. She focused on being present for her son while pursuing her career goals.

Passions and Interests

Music ranked highest among Ukil’s interests. She spent considerable time rapping and learning music production techniques. Writing, sports, and outdoor activities also filled her free time. Her business mindset showed early—she ran a small candy operation from her school locker and continued generating business ideas with friends into adulthood.

People who knew Ukil frequently mentioned her energy and positive outlook. She encouraged friends to pursue their aspirations and maintained an upbeat presence that drew others to her.

Career and Achievements

Music production became Ukil Grandberry’s primary professional focus. Operating as Keeze Capone, she taught herself music production software to create beats and mix tracks. She learned from established producers, including Helluva and Eastside Peezy, developing a style that combined classic hip-hop elements with contemporary trap sounds.

Keeze Capone collaborated with both recognized and emerging artists in the Flint area. Her production work appeared on several mixtapes, and she was developing material for her first full album at the time of her death.

Her business activities extended beyond music. She partnered with friend Devaughn Darvin to open Ice Life Clothing, a boutique selling urban fashion. She also discussed plans for youth centers and job-creating businesses in Flint, regularly brainstorming community improvement projects.

To connect her various pursuits, Ukil founded Grand Wayz Entertainment LLC, a media company that promoted her music and provided support for unsigned artists. Her friends and associates noted her self-motivation and believed her efforts would eventually yield substantial success.

Ukil Grandberry Net Worth

By 2019, Ukil Grandberry had accumulated an estimated net worth of $150,000. This figure came from her music production work, clothing boutique revenue, and entertainment company operations. She reinvested much of her earnings into new business concepts and ventures.

Building this level of assets in her mid-twenties reflected her entrepreneurial approach and commitment to financial stability for her family. Given her ongoing projects and industry connections, observers believed her financial trajectory pointed upward at the time of her death.

Death and Legacy

On May 19, 2019, Ukil Dominique Grandberry died at age 26. She was attending a birthday party for friend Jaiquel Cohen when a shooting occurred. Initial reports indicated she was shot and killed during the late-night gathering.

Authorities suggested the shooting may have been targeted and possibly gang-related, though people close to Ukil disputed any gang connections. The case remained under investigation, leaving many questions unanswered about the specific circumstances.

Mourning and Remembrance

The news spread quickly through Flint, where family and friends struggled to process the loss. At her funeral, Ukil’s mother expressed the pain of losing a child, describing it as having her heart removed. Her father spoke about losing a daughter who had worked to improve her circumstances despite obstacles.

Her siblings wrote tributes calling Ukil their hero and promising to keep her memory alive. Hundreds attended the funeral service, many wearing “Long Live Nuke” shirts—a reference to her nickname.

In the months following her death, several murals appeared around Flint commemorating Ukil Grandberry. Her phrase “Dream Khasers” became a community message representing perseverance. A scholarship fund was established in her name to help Flint students pursue college education, continuing the path she had started for her family.

Posthumous Album Release

After Ukil’s death, her unreleased music was compiled into an album titled “Long Live Nuke.” The collection included 16 hip-hop tracks demonstrating her production abilities and signature sound, combining vintage and modern hip-hop styles.

Local radio stations played tracks from the album, introducing her work to wider audiences. For those who knew her, the release provided both a celebration of her talent and a painful reminder of potential unrealized. The album ensured her musical contributions would remain accessible, preserving her artistic voice for listeners who never met her.

Final Thoughts

Ukil Dominique Grandberry’s 26 years included becoming a mother, developing skills as a music producer, launching business ventures, and maintaining strong family bonds. She worked to overcome economic challenges and create opportunities for herself and her community in Flint.

Her death cut short a trajectory that friends and family believed would lead to greater accomplishments. The response to her passing—murals, scholarships, album releases, and continued remembrance—demonstrates the connections she built and the impression she left on her community.

Her story offersa perspective on pursuing goals despite obstacles, maintaining family relationships, and contributing to your community. While her time was limited, Ukil Grandberry filled those years with purpose and relationships that continue to influence those who knew her.