Masked rapper C.Gambino, whose real name was Karar Ramadan, was fatally shot in a parking lot on Tuesday evening in what police have linked to a gang conflict.
The 26-year-old artiste, who had recently been named Sweden’s hip hop artiste of the year, was known to police, according to a statement released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024
“Police have launched a murder inquiry… No one has been arrested in the case,” the statement read. A police spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that the killing is connected to ongoing gang violence.
Images from the crime scene revealed multiple bullet holes in a glass door at the parking lot. This tragic event echoes the death of another prominent Swedish rapper, Einar, who was killed in Stockholm in a similar gang conflict in October 2021.
C.Gambino’s most recent track, “Sista Gang” (Last Time), was released on May 31 and has garnered 700,000 streams on Spotify. The rapper’s songs attract around a million listeners monthly, highlighting his significant influence in the Swedish hip hop scene.
“He was one of Swedish hip hop’s greats,” said Petter Hallen, a Swedish rap expert, to news agency TT. “His death is a heavy blow to the rap scene in Gothenburg and all of Sweden. What’s even more tragic is that he had recently moved away from just the dark criminal stuff, towards more expressions of relationships and feelings.”
Sweden has been grappling with rising gang violence, which initially stemmed from control over the drug market but has since expanded to include rivalries and personal vendettas. Despite efforts to curb the violence, shootings and bombings have become a weekly occurrence across the country.
