Music producer arrested after being accused of exposing artist to HIV

A New Orleans music producer was arrested on a count of intentional exposure to HIV after he allegedly infected a bounce artist whose albums he had produced.

According to NOLA, Mykel "MykelOnTheBeat" Cook, 33, was booked into Orleans Justice Center on Sept. 18, court records show. Initially, he was held without bond pending a Gwen's Law hearing. Magistrate Commissioner Joyce Sallah set Cook's bond at $250,000 and issued a domestic protective order for the victim.

Cook has since been released on bond. He also has domestic violence convictions dating back to 2021 and 2023 in St. Charles and Jefferson parishes, respectively.

The artist, Jayvonda Bazile, 38, who performs as BOG Vonnie, asked NOLA.com to identify her publicly. She told the outlet that she decided to speak because she wants people in the music community to take HIV testing seriously and believes others could potentially have been exposed.

According to the arrest affidavit, Cook allegedly met Bazile in 2018 and “agreed to assist her in pursuing a music career and later assumed the role of her music producer.”

Their professional relationship eventually became personal, Bazile said.

“We became friends, and we weren’t in a relationship, but we were casually hooking up, or hanging out, doing music. Doing work to get us in a better spot in life,” Bazile told the outlet.

The producer's credits include Boosie BadAzz, Chance the Rapper, and NBA YoungBoy.