Abhiroop Das
Created by Lena Waithe, Paramount+’s crime drama series ‘The Chi’ charts a generational saga in South Side Chicago, where several families struggle to fit in with the changing tides of time. At its heart, however, this is a story about love, friendship, family, and the network of trust that binds everything together. In season 8, the characters we all started and grew up with have turned into adults, with many of them raising their own children. For Emmett, Tiff, Kiesha, and many others, this brings forth the question of the cycle and whether one generation alone can truly break free of it.
For others, like Nuck and Reg, the story unfolds as a desperate power struggle in a reality that has started to make increasingly less sense. With death and violence descending upon the city at every turn, the characters often struggle to find the energy to get by. Some, like Bakari, even contemplate starting anew, all in the pursuit of finding hope in darkness. In the penultimate episode of this final season of the show, the show’s commentary on community comes to the forefront, and is perhaps best exemplified by the tribute to DeAndre “Marley” Stevenson.
DeAndre Stevenson Was a Maryland Resident Known For His Warm Personality
The closing tribute of ‘The Chi’ season 8 episode 9, titled ‘Cold Feet,’ honors DeAndre “Marley” Stevenson. Born on May 1, 1988, DeAndre was a resident of Suitland, Prince George’s County, in Maryland. His mother, Shawnita Stevenson, described him as her oldest son and best friend, recalling that he was “full of life, laughter, and love” and had a way of making people “feel seen and safe just by being near.” While not much has been disclosed about his childhood or professional life, we know that DeAndre was deeply connected to his community and was cherished for his kindness and personality.
On the afternoon of June 3, 2025, DeAndre and 32-year-old Myandre McBride were found shot at an apartment in the 5600 block of Regency Park Court in Suitland. Following the police’s arrival, Myandre was pronounced dead at the scene, while DeAndre was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Police reportedly identified 35-year-old James Stewart as the prime suspect and soon took him into custody. While no confirmed cause of the tragedy has been made public, officials involved in the investigation indicated that James and McBride knew each other. “The preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect and victim were known to each other and were involved in an ongoing dispute,” the detectives added. As of writing, Stewart remains in the custody of the Department of Corrections and is awaiting trial.
DeAndre Stevenson Lost His Life Following a June 2025 Shooting
DeAndre Stevenson died on June 16, 2025, at the age of 37, after battling his injuries for nearly two weeks. In the days following his passing, Stevenson’s mother, Shawnita Stevenson, established a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with funeral expenses. She wrote, “Losing someone is already so heavy, and the weight of funeral costs on top of that is something I simply can’t carry alone.” In response, friends, relatives, and members of the wider community all came together in support, expressing how much DeAndre impacted their lives.
In the days after his passing, DeAndre’s loved ones came together for a balloon release at Anacostia Park on June 24, 2025, before gathering once again to celebrate his life during a funeral service on July 22, 2025, at Universal Mortuary, located at 411 Kennedy Street North West, in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2025. DeAndre’s memory continues to live on through the love of his family, as well as his community. Fittingly, ‘The Chi’ commemorates him with a tribute in an episode that is entirely about the bond people share, and how love, kindness, and courage are the foundation of society as a whole.
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