Obituary

Kejion Marques Cousins-Starkes (Jedkins) was born on June 25, 1997, at 11:34 a.m. to Tasha Cousins and Raytheon Jedkins Sr. He carried the last name Starkes from Mr. Kareem Starkes.

He attended Parkway Elementary, Charles Mack Elementary, and John Still before attending Consumnes Oak High School. Kejion loved to entertain; around the age of nine, he started to show his creative side. He was very articulate; he free-styled a complete verse and recorded himself on one of his uncle's instruments, on my Metro PCS phone recorder. That's when I realized that he had something special, a music talent. While discovering his passion to write and create music, he also loved to turf dance.

I remember a time when he was so excited. He had finally figured out how to make his arms go behind his head as if he was double-jointed. By the age of 16, he was assigned to a label, and later that year, he dropped his first album, "Won't Fold." Using his artistic name, "Kesso," he went on to make a lot of great music to touch his peers with major music artists like San Quinn, Keak Da Sneak, and a few others. He also made tracks with his friends like Bris, T4, Steatz, Smack, songs with his brother OTR Jaaay and a long list of others.

Kejion has made professional music videos and when he decided to co-star with me, his mother Tasha Cousins, and his brother Javae Pinckney (OTR Jaaay) it meant so much to me. In 2017, his biggest accomplishment was when he welcomed his son Sincere Silas Starkes into the world. He was overjoyed and promised to be the best dad that he knew how to be. I must embrace that he was an amazing and dedicated father.

Kejion enjoyed spending time with his son, going to amusement parks with him and his little brother King Pope, going to movies, birthday parties, on holidays, Easter egg hunts, and trick-or-treating as a family. Kejion enjoyed spending time with his family and close friends. He was dedicated to his son, little brother, goddaughter, and his health during these last four years. I have watched Kejion grow into such an amazing man.

Kejion was preceded in death by his grandfather Paul Ray Cousins.

Kejion leaves to cherish his memory his mother, Tasha Cousins; father, Raytheon Jedkins Sr.; son, Sincere Starkes; grandparents, Eloise Broadway Lake (Howard), Treena Dear (Joseph) and James Moore; his brothers, Javae Pinckney, RayShaun Jedkins, King Pope, and Raytheon Jedkins Jr.; Sisters, Destiny Jedkins, and T'Zaria Jedkins; Uncles, Paul Cousins Jr., Michael Brown, Tryel Cousins; Aunts, Nicole Broadway and Shannon Cousins; Nephew, Aiden Brown and a long list of great aunts and great uncles, cousins and friends.