Breaking News: James Foley -- British Rapper Suspected In Journalist Beheading

One of the men suspected of beheading American journalist James Foley was once an aspiring rapper. TMZ report.

Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary -- a 24-year old who reportedly left home last year to fight in Syria's civil war -- used to go by the name L. Jinny ... and even had some of his music played on BBC Radio.

Bary tweeted a picture of himself holding a severed head earlier this month ... and the Telegraph says he's a suspect in Foley's execution.

According to reports ... former ISIS hostages have given him the nickname "John the Beatle" -- because of his British accent.