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Sammie has seen plenty of highs and lows in his career, but none more heartbreaking than watching his mother struggle with mental illness.
The singer stopped by Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast and for the first time, spoke publicly about his mother, Angila Baxter, and an incident in 2023 that changed everything.
“Second-degree murder. She’s fighting a second-degree murder case, currently,” Sammie told Newton after apologizing ahead of time for crying. “Lawyer fees later, she’s at a mental Florida state hospital, currently. She’s not in jail anymore.”
In January 2023, Baxter allegedly opened fire on random vehicles in Orlando, Florida. Behind the wheel of one of those cars was 27-year-old Nekaybaw Collier. Coiller was hit by gunfire and would later crash her car before succumbing to her injuries. Baxter was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, second-degree murder and two counts of shooting into a vehicle but was deemed unfit to stand trial.
Sammie says the phone call he got regarding the case was the “worst phone call of his life” and that he became informed of the situation after his sister texted him a photo of their mother’s mugshot.
“So first and foremost to Mrs. Collier, which is the deceased, who was a wife, an auntie, a sister … my condolences to her family,” Sammie said.
He added, “My mom at some point felt that she was being followed. Felt like her phone was hacked … televisions … things that just started to happen. Her behavior and her psyche changed four years ago. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t know what she was talking about. If you want to go down a rabbit hole of research, there’s a term called ‘gang stalking.’ Me nor my siblings understood when she would call and say, “I’m being followed, y’all need to come and see how your mom is living in Orlando. It was so bad, we’d come down there and she’d make you turn your phone off when in her house.”
Sammie admitted in 2022 that his relationship with his mother had started to decline and all she could discuss was her paranoia. The singer added that his biggest fear for his mom was that she would either be hurt or hurt someone. Ultimately, Sammie says the case and how it was presented in the media took him to a dark place.
“That’s the first time I’ve been suicidal,” he confessed. “I didn’t come outside, didn’t eat. Didn’t drink nothing. Throwing up. It’s something I think I’ve now accepted I’ll never understand why this is a reality of mine. Talked to her today and it’s a blessing to still hear her voice. I’ve seen her twice since the ordeal but it’s a nightmare that I live in. Every day.”
The confession prompted Newton to continue to advocate for mental health for Black men, particularly since Sammie admitted he carried this weight mostly by himself but his village has helped bring him back.
“I’m grateful for the Melindas,” he said, referring to his manager. “I’m grateful for RSVP, my siblings … me and my siblings hadn’t been cool for years, but guess who pulled up on me? My siblings.”
Watch the full segment from “Funky Fridays” below.
