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FYI

Toronto Rappers Killed In Downtown Shooting

Smoke Dawg (pictured) and Koba Prime were gunned down on Queen Street West on Saturday evening. Drake was one of many hip-hop artists to pay tribute.

Toronto Rappers Killed In Downtown Shooting

By FYI Staff

Two prominent Toronto rappers, Smoke Dawg (real name Jahvante Smart) and Koba Prime (Ernest "Kosi" Modekwe), were killed in a shooting on Toronto's Queen Street West on Saturday evening (June 30). The 21-year-old Smart had recently made a mark as a member of rap quartet Halal Gang, while Modekwe (age 28) was a member of the hip-hop collective Prime.


Smoke Dawg had a viral hit (2.5M YouTube views) three years ago with the track "Still," with Mo G, and later collaborated with French Montana and Skepta. During a concert in London last year he brought out Drake and Skepta, and he later opened on Drake's Boy Meets World European tour. Last week, Smoke Dawg released the song "Fountain Freestyle" (below) and a debut full-length project, Struggle Before Glory, was expected later this year.

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Fellow rappers paying tribute to Smart included Drake, Jazz Cartier, and Mustafa The Poet. Drake posted an Instagram photo of himself performing with Smoke Dawg on stage, and wrote on the platform that "All these gifts and blessed souls and inner lights being extinguished lately is devastating. I wish peace would wash over our city... Rest up Smoke."

A candlelight vigil will be held for Smart on July 2 at the Metropolitan United Church park in Toronto.

Read more here: NOW, Hip-Hop Canada. Toronto Star, CBC News

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MF DOOM & Madlib Release ‘One Beer’ Remix as ‘Mm..Food’ Turns 20
Rb Hip Hop

MF DOOM & Madlib Release ‘One Beer’ Remix as ‘Mm..Food’ Turns 20

The remix will appear on the classic album's 20th anniversary reissue.

The mad villains have linked up once again.

Madlib, the MF DOOM estate, Stones Throw Records, and Rhymesayers Entertainment have released “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the late rapper and producer’s fifth solo album MM..FOOD. The version featured on the album is also produced by Madlib, but was credited to DOOM. The song was supposed to make their seminal work Madvillainy, also from 2004, but they felt it didn’t fit the vibes.

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