Mourning over murders of 2 men from Toronto’s rap scene, killed on weekend
TORONTO (CP) — Friends and family of two men gunned down in Toronto’s Entertainment District over the weekend said the two emerging artists in the city’s rap scene will be remembered for their hard work and ambition.
Jahvante Smart, 21, known as Smoke Dawg and Ernest Modekwe, 28, known as Koba Prime, were fatally shot on Saturday evening. Police said a woman was also shot, but she is expected to recover.
Canadian record producer Shane Lindstrom, also known as Murda Beatz, said in an interview Monday that he was close with both Smart and Modekwe.
Modekwe was the brand manager for a hip-hop collective called Prime. In April, billboards of the group towered over Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square when they released their song “Sopranos.” The group also launched a clothing line last year with, which Modekwe modelled for.
Lindstrom said when he found out about the shooting, he kept trying to reach Smart and Modekwe (also known as Kosi).
“When I heard what was going on, I knew (Kosi) was with Smoke, so I texted Kosi saying, ‘I love you bro. When you get this call me, please, please, please,”’ he said.
The two men were rushed to hospital following the shooting, but both succumbed to their injuries, police said.
Smart released his first single in 2015 and was on Drake’s Boy Meets World tour. Drake posted on Instagram a photo of him and Smart performing together with the caption, “Rest up Smoke.”
“Kosi was one of my best friends,” Lindstrom said. “Smoke was like a brother to me. It’s definitely a loss for Toronto, they’ll always be remembered.”
Smart’s family said he leaves behind a one-year-old daughter and 13 siblings.
“As a young man from Regent Park, he overcame poverty and grew into a responsible caring grown man who took care of his friends and family,” the statement said. “He helped people wherever he could and will be remembered for his huge smile and glowing personality.”
Lindstrom said he met both Smart and Modekwe in Toronto about four years ago and they instantly became friends. He said they would get together when Lindstrom would visit Toronto about once a month.
Modekwe grew up in Toronto’s west end with his single mother and two younger siblings.
“He was the oldest, so he was always trying to take care of me, my brother and my mom,” said his sister Chinasa Modekwe.
She said Modekwe worked multiple parttime jobs to help pay the bills and later bought the family laptops and took their mother on her first vacation.
“He was a good man, with a lot of dreams, a lot of aspirations,” Chinasa said. “He had so much life in him.”