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.
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.
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
From left: Joey Scolari, Tom Pistore, Keith Pelley, Wayne Zronik and Tim Leiweke speaking on State of the Industry panel at Departure at Toronto's Hotel X on May 8, 2025.Mike Highfield