The drill rap scene in New York moves fast, but nothing stopped the city quite like the news on July 9, 2022. It wasn't just another headline about street violence; it was about a kid. Ethan Reyes, known to the world as Notti Osama, was only 14 years old. When people ask where did Notti Osama die, they aren't just looking for a map coordinate. They are looking for the context of a tragedy that happened in broad daylight, right under the feet of thousands of commuters.
He died at the 137th Street-City College subway station in Harlem.
It happened on a Saturday afternoon. Around 3:00 PM. That's a time when the station is usually packed with students, locals, and people heading toward City College. The specific location—the northbound platform of the 1 train—became a crime scene that would eventually spark a viral, and often toxic, digital afterlife.
The 137th Street-City College Station: A Fateful Encounter
The Harlem subway system is a labyrinth. The 137th Street station is deep, echoing, and—on that particular July day—it became the backdrop for a confrontation that escalated in seconds.
Reports from the NYPD and local news outlets like the New York Post and ABC7 detailed a "smack talk" encounter that turned physical. Ethan Reyes and a few others allegedly cornered a 15-year-old rival. This wasn't a random mugging. It was a targeted dispute, the kind of friction that had been simmering in the lyrics of drill tracks for months. The fight moved from the street level down into the station.
The 1 train platform is narrow.
When the scuffle broke out, Reyes was reportedly armed with a broomstick. The other teen, Kelvin Martinez, had a knife. In the chaos of the underground heat and the cramped space, Reyes was stabbed in the chest.
He didn't die instantly on the platform.
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He actually managed to stumble away, bleeding out as he tried to get to safety or perhaps just away from his attacker. Police found him unconscious near the stairs. Despite the efforts of first responders who rushed him to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. It’s a heavy reality to process—a 14-year-old’s life ending over a dispute that started on social media and ended at a subway turnstile.
Why the Location Matters to the Story
The location isn't just a fact; it’s a symbol. 137th Street is a hub. In the world of Manhattan drill, geography is everything. The Bronx and Manhattan neighborhoods are often divided by invisible lines, and the subway stations act as neutral ground that isn't actually neutral.
- The station serves the Hamilton Heights neighborhood.
- It is directly adjacent to the City College of New York (CCNY).
- It's a high-traffic area, making the brazenness of the incident even more shocking to the public.
The Aftermath and the Digital Ghost of Notti Osama
Social media changed how we grieve, but it also changed how we taunt. Within hours of the news breaking, the question of where did Notti Osama die wasn't just being asked by concerned parents; it was being used as a "score" by rival gangs.
The song "Notti Bop" became a disturbing trend on TikTok.
Think about that for a second. A 14-year-old is killed in a subway station, and weeks later, kids across the country are mimicking the physical motions of a stabbing because of a catchy beat. It’s weird. It’s dark. It shows the massive disconnect between the physical reality of the 137th Street station and the digital world where these tragedies are turned into content.
The legal fallout was just as messy. Initially, the 15-year-old suspect was charged with second-degree murder. However, as the investigation unfolded, video evidence from the station’s security cameras played a massive role. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office eventually dropped the murder charges. Why? Because the video showed Reyes and his friends allegedly cornering the 15-year-old, leading to a "self-defense" argument that the prosecution couldn't overcome.
It’s a stark reminder that what happens in those grainy subway frames determines lives forever.
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The Role of Drill Culture in Harlem
We can't talk about the 137th Street station without talking about the music. Notti Osama was part of the "OY" (Old York) collective based in Sugar Hill. Their rivals, often from the Bronx or other parts of Harlem, traded insults constantly through YouTube uploads.
The violence wasn't "senseless" to those involved; it was a cycle of retaliation.
When you look at the map of Harlem, the distance between where Notti lived and where he died is incredibly short. It’s a few blocks. A few stops on the 1 train. For a kid in that environment, the subway isn't just transportation—it’s a risk. Every time the doors open, you have to know who is standing on the platform.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
There is a lot of garbage information floating around Reddit and YouTube comments. Let's clear some of it up.
- Was it a drive-by? No. This was a hand-to-hand fight that started on the street and ended on the subway platform. There were no cars involved.
- Did he die at home? No. He passed away at Mount Sinai Morningside after being transported from the 137th Street station.
- Was he alone? No. Reports indicate he was with a group of associates when they encountered the lone 15-year-old rival.
Honestly, the sheer amount of misinformation is wild. People want to make it sound like a movie, but the reality is much more mundane and much more tragic. It was a hot day in July, a crowded station, a knife, and a kid who didn't get to grow up.
The Impact on the NYC Subway System
Following the death of Ethan Reyes, there was a massive push for increased security. If you go to the 137th Street-City College station today, you’ll likely see more NYPD presence than you would have in early 2022.
The MTA has been under pressure to install more cameras and better lighting. The "Notti Osama incident," as it's often called in transit safety meetings, is frequently cited as a reason why the city needs to do more to protect "vulnerable youth" in the transit system. Whether more police actually stops a 14-year-old with a grudge is a different debate entirely, but the physical security of that station changed because of what happened to Ethan.
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Community Response in Sugar Hill
In the weeks following the stabbing, the area around 137th Street and the Sugar Hill neighborhood became a makeshift memorial. Blue balloons—the color associated with Notti’s group—lined the fences.
His brother, DD Osama, went on to achieve significant fame in the music industry. In a way, the tragedy at the subway station propelled the rest of the family into a spotlight they probably never asked for. DD’s lyrics often reference his brother, keeping the memory of that July afternoon alive for millions of fans who have never even stepped foot in New York City.
Staying Safe and Understanding the Risks
If you’re a fan of the music or just someone looking into the history of NYC street culture, it’s easy to get lost in the "lore." But these are real locations with real consequences.
The 137th Street station is a reminder that conflict resolution skills are literally a matter of life and death. The city has seen a spike in youth-on-youth violence over the last few years, much of it centered around transit hubs.
Actionable Insights for Navigating the Narrative:
- Verify the Source: When reading about drill-related incidents, stick to primary news sources or court documents. Social media accounts often sensationalize details to gain followers.
- Understand Self-Defense Laws: The Notti Osama case is a textbook example of how "New York Justification Law" (Self-Defense) works. Even in a death, if the person who struck the blow was being swarmed or cornered, the legal outcome changes drastically.
- Look Beyond the Lyrics: Music is often an exaggeration. The reality of what happened at 137th Street was a tragic encounter between two children, not a glorious battle.
- Support Community Programs: Many organizations in Harlem, such as Street Corner Resources, work specifically to de-escalate these types of rivalries before they reach the subway.
The story of where Notti Osama died is a permanent part of Harlem's modern history. It serves as a grim marker of the dangers facing youth in the city and the explosive intersection of social media and real-world violence. The 137th Street-City College station remains a busy, functioning part of the New York lifeblood, but for those who know the story, the northbound platform will always carry the weight of July 9th.
To truly understand the situation, one must look at the court's decision to drop charges against the 15-year-old, which emphasizes the complexity of the "who started it" dynamic in street conflicts. It wasn't a simple case of "good guy vs. bad guy." It was a chaotic, multi-person fight in a confined space where a split-second decision resulted in a permanent loss.
If you're looking for more info on the legal side, researching the Manhattan DA’s statements regarding the "Justification" defense in the Reyes case provides the most objective view of the evidence found on those subway cameras.