A video from Colorado’s 2024 football season has taken on a very different meaning. Yella Beezy is seen among the Buffaloes crowd, with Deion Sanders Jr. beside him as the rapper’s music plays and people gather around.
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At the time, it was another glimpse of the celebrity traffic surrounding Coach Prime’s program. However, on November 11, a Dallas jury convicted Beezy of capital murder. The old footage quickly returned to social media, and Sanders Jr. was drawn into the reaction.
The rapper, whose real name is Markies Conway, was found guilty of arranging the 2020 killing of fellow Dallas artist MO3, born Melvin Noble. The jury’s verdict was unanimous.
An X user brought up Beezy’s connection to Colorado shortly after the verdict. The post questioned the company around the program and invoked Sanders’ familiar message that his work was “bigger than football.” Sanders Jr. responded directly.
“Great Times… & Even better times on the way. Great guy, unfortunately situation…Damn Yella,” Sanders Jr. replied to the user on X.
The association between Beezy and the Sanders family went back to their shared interest in music. In June 2024, Sanders teamed up with Beezy and Snoop Dogg on a new version of his 1994 track, “Must Be the Money.”
Deion Sanders recorded a verse for the song, mentioning his move from Jackson State to Boulder and bringing his family with him. Beezy later turned up at Colorado’s game against Utah on November 16, 2024. He joined the players for the Buff Walk before kickoff.
He led the walk and escorted players toward the locker room. He was a guest around the team, not a player or member of the coaching staff.
The Buffaloes won that game 49-24, improving to 8-2 and extending their winning streak to four. Shedeur Sanders threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns, while Travis Hunter contributed on both sides of the ball.
When Sanders arrived in Boulder before the 2023 season, Colorado was coming off years of poor results and empty seats. He responded by making Folsom Field one of college football’s biggest attractions beyond football.
Colorado became a regular stop for celebrities during Sanders’ time in Boulder. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Snoop Dogg, DaBaby, Lil Wayne, Key Glock, Master P, and Offset all showed up on the sidelines.
Sanders said he had a reason for inviting so many high-profile guests to Boulder. He wanted his players to meet people who had reached the top in their respective fields and see what success looked like beyond football.
“You’ve got to understand, a lot of these young men have not met guys of this status and the standard,” Sanders said to CBS Sports in 2023. “How many guys on the team do you think have met The Rock? It’s great for these young men to see success.”
Sanders also used that celebrity glamor in recruiting. He rarely conducted the traditional in-home visits with high school prospects and their families. Instead, he wanted recruits to come to Boulder, see the crowds and experience the attention surrounding the program.
“This is bigger than just football,” Sanders said about the celebrity appearances in 2023. “Football is the vehicle to bring us together, but it’s bigger than that.”
The stream of celebrity guests gave Colorado games a feel unlike anything else in college football. ESPN commentator Mark Jones captured it during one broadcast, describing Folsom Field as a mix of the “BET Awards… and a football game.”
As for the connection between Sanders, Colorado and Beezy, it was part of Coach Prime’s early push to put the Boulder program on the national stage.
Beezy was arrested in March 2025 and charged with capital murder in connection with MO3’s death. That was more than a year after his Colorado appearances and music collaboration with Sanders.
The incident took place on November 11, 2020, on Interstate 35 in Dallas. MO3 was driving when a gunman approached his vehicle. Noble got out and tried to run, but the shooter pursued him and opened fire.
He was taken to a hospital, where he died. A second person was caught in the shooting and wounded, but survived. Prosecutors argued that Conway had arranged Noble’s killing, paying gunman Kewon White $40,000 to carry it out.
White was found guilty of capital murder in September 2026 and received a life sentence with no chance of parole. Conway’s case went before a jury more than two weeks later. After more than two weeks of testimony, jurors delivered their verdict on November 11, exactly six years after Noble’s death.
For Coach Prime and Colorado, the association with Beezy could not come at a worse time.
Colorado fell to 3-6 after a 20-10 defeat to Arizona State on November 7. The Buffaloes are 1-5 in Big 12 play and need to win their final three games to become bowl-eligible.
Sanders accepted responsibility for the team’s performance during his November 10 media availability. He initially spoke about the team not getting the job done, then corrected himself.
“I’m not getting it done,” he said, taking responsibility for the problems across offense, defense, and special teams.
The immediate task is a Friday night game against Houston, but the conversation around the program has widened again. Beezy’s conviction is a reminder that the celebrity spotlight Sanders welcomed to Boulder can bring attention the program never wanted.