Drake Writes Emotional Letter Following Toronto Nightclub Shooting

Earlier this month, an after-party for Drake‘s annual OVO Fest concert took a tragic turn, when two people – since confirmed to be a 26-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man – were shot dead at a Toronto nightclub.
Drake himself did not comment at the time, and in the fortnight following the shootings, has remained quiet, but in a letter published to the OVO website over the weekend, he finally made his feelings clear.
In it, the rapper said that his “trusted advisors and counsel” told him not to speak out, concerned that his words might be misinterpreted, but that ultimately, he felt the need to follow his heart and make a statement.  
He wrote:

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
Earlier this weekend, Drake took his mum to watch Serena Williams play in Toronto, because Drake is a sweetie at heart:

Photo: Mark Piasecki via Getty Images

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