Drake speaks out publicly, for the first time since an after party shooting left two people dead and three more seriously injured at the August 4 OVO Fest. In an open letter to fans, the Toronto rapper “plagued and pained” touches on the senseless act of violence:
The last few days I have been in a moral bind.
I am used to the fact that my life and the things I say to my fans are closely watched. It’s tough in situations like this where there’s a tragedy and I consider the advice of my trusted advisors and counsel who worry that anything I might say could be misinterpreted.
However, today I am choosing to follow my heart.
I am plagued and pained by the violence that continues to escalate in our city. I stare into the eyes of so many young people and I wish to see them all shine as bright as they possibly can in this lifetime. I encourage my generation to show as much value and gratitude as you can for the lives we have been gifted.
My deepest condolences go out to the Navarro-Fenoy and Hibbert families for their loss of Ariela and Duvel. Along with them I send my condolences to all of the families that have lost loved ones to the senseless violence that has and continues to occur in our city.
Although Toronto is globally viewed as a major city, at the core we are still a small close-knit community, and it is our public responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of one another. We need each other to further our communities for generations to come.
I pray for better times and better understanding.
– DRAKE
Following Drake’s annual OVO Fest, police responded to reports of a “sporadic shooting” at Toronto’s Musik nightclub. Duvel Hibbert, 23, and Ariela Navarro-Fenoy, 26, died from their injuries, with the shooter remaining at large. While not specifically calling Drake out by name, Toronto police chief Mark Saunders issued a plea earlier this week for any witnesses to the crime to come forward and share what they know with authorities.
