Frankie Cooper died in hospital five days after he was stabbed in a daylight knife attack, in Newcastle city centre.
Fabio Serrano, who was just 16 at the time, was jailed after being convicted of manslaughter.
The 22-year-old victim had been an aspiring rapper, but he never got the chance to chase his dreams of making it big in the music world.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how on February 20, 2017, Serrano, who was carrying a heavy lock knife, ran into Frankie in the city centre.
Shortly after 1pm, he and co-accused Dairan Browne were going through an underpass when they saw Frankie walking across Princess Square.
Before confronting Frankie, Serrano covered the lower part of his face with a balaclava.
Then, with the blade down the back of his trousers, he shouted to unarmed Frankie to get his attention.
A row broke out between them during which Serrano took out his blade and stabbed Frankie in the chest.
Frankie managed to stumble back to the nearby Bewick Court flats where he lived, but collapsed and died a few days later in hospital.
Serrano, of Ladykirk Road, Benwell, Newcastle, was jailed for life with a minimum of five years.
Browne, 20, of Shepherds Hay, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was cleared of murder, manslaughter and wounding with intent on Frankie’s friend after the fatal stabbing.
He admitted unlawful wounding on the friend and was given a 16-month suspended sentence.
Find out more about the Knife Angel here.
