Toronto’s hip-hop community is mourning the death of rapper Shane Redway, who was among three people killed in a fiery car crash near Pearson International Airport early Saturday morning (August 1).
According to Global News, the collision occurred just after 4 a.m. on Saturday. The 26-year-old was driving with two female passengers in the northbound lane of highway 427 when the vehicle veered into the guard rail and burst into flames.
Redway and another passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. The third passenger was taken to hospital where she later died.
Police are still investigating the cause and have appealed to witnesses to come forward.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with funeral costs and has nearly reached its $10,000 goal. His family is asking for privacy at this time.
“With a heavy heart and deepest regards, it’s with great sadness to [sic] announce the sudden death of Toronto rapper Shane Redway,” his management company, Champ Management, said in a statement to Global News. “Redway was known for being a passionate artist who was always striving for greatness, pushing the boundaries of always believing in your visions and dreams which led to the creation of the BLVD (The Belief Leading Visions & Dreams).”
As news spread of the Mississauga MC’s death, many in the city’s hip-hop community including Drake, Wondagurl, Rich Kidd, Boi-1da, Jazz Cartier, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Kardinal Offishall took to social media to pay tribute.
This weekend is one of the biggest in the city for hip-hop fans. Drake’s annual OVO Fest takes over the Molson Amphitheatre tonight (August 2) and tomorrow. Several artists are in town to perform at and around the show, and attend the week-long OVO Bounce basketball tournament that precedes it.
“Gone way too soon,” Drake wrote on Instagram. “Just saw this guy yesterday at Bounce. RIP Redway.”
He added: “Should have told you yesterday I was proud of what we had both done for our city over these years and I didn’t cause there were too many chairs and too many people in the way. A lesson to anybody second guessing. Rest easy king.”
“Lost my brother today,” Wondagurl wrote on Instagram. “Life is crazy. #RIPREDWAY.”
“This one hits so close to home fam… redway was really lil bruh,” Rich Kidd wrote on Twitter. “Condolences to the families affected by this loss.”
Redway’s most recent mixtape was 2014’s Years Ahead and he was reportedly working on a new EP. Watch the video for his Wondagurl-produced single YKTO (You Know The Ones) below:
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