Rapper Smoke Dawg Dead at 21 After Toronto Shooting

Smoke Dawg, a Canadian rapper who toured with Drake last year, was reportedly shot and killed in [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Smoke Dawg, a Canadian rapper who toured with Drake last year, was reportedly shot and killed in Toronto Saturday. He was 21 years old.

According to CP24 in Canada, three people were shot outside a nightclub in Toronto's busy Entertainment District before 8 p.m. Police said two victims were found at the scene shortly after the gunshots were heard, and a third was found some distance away from the scene. All three were rushed to the hospital.

Two of the victims were men. The third is a woman in her 30s who suffered non-life threatening injuries and is expected to survive. Both of the male victims later died at the hospital, Toronto police said. The deceased victims were identified as Smoke Dawg, whose real name is Jahvante Smart; and Ernest Modekwe, 28.

The suspects fled the scene, either in a black SUV or white car, police said.

"Our investigators are on-scene right now trying to piece this together. It is a large scene. We're talking about the downtown core and Queen Street – one of the busiest streets on a very busy Canada Day weekend," Const. David Hopkinson told CP24.

One witness told CP24 that the scene quickly turned "chaotic."

"There were people running everywhere, there were vehicles just trying to get out of the way. Down on Peter Street we just saw a mass of tourists – normal Saturday traffic on Queen Street – basically running scared for their lives. It was intense, it was very chaotic," the man said.

Before police confirmed Smoke Dawg was one of the victims, Drake and Smoke Dawg's friends mourned him on social media.

"All these gifts and blessed souls and inner lights being extinguished lately is devastating," Drake wrote on his Instagram Story, reports Billboard. "I wish peace would wash over our city. So much talent and so many stories we never get to see play out. Rest up Smoke."

"Smokey is gone, may our prayers follow him to heaven," Mustafa the Poet tweeted.

"RIP Smoke Dawg, Toronto legend," documentary filmmaker Nathan Miller wrote. Miller recently made a film about the rap scene in Canada, and included an interview with Smoke Dawg.

Smoke Dawg was Drake's opening act for the European leg of the 2017 Boy Meets World tour, notes USA Today. He is best known for a 2015 remix of "Trap House" with French Montana.

Smoke Dawg's death came two weeks after rapper XXXTentacion was shot and killed in Florida.

Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez /Getty Images for Remy Martin

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