Freddie Gibbs claims to have been the target of a shooting outside of Rough Trade NYC early on Tuesday morning. An unidentified man reportedly fired into Gibbs’ car, wounding two men understood to be members of his entourage.
“They tried to kill Tupac [and] they tried to kill me,” Gibbs told the New York Post. “But I’m still alive.” Asked why he had been targeted, the 32-year-old said it was because “I’m Freddie Gibbs”.
The incident took place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just after Gibbs’ appearance at the Rough Trade music shop and venue. As the rapper and his crew departed in a black GMC Denali, a gunman in a dark hoodie reportedly ran up alongside and fired several shots into the vehicle. According to reports, Gibbs jumped out the other side and ran back to Rough Trade; his assailant also fled. Two victims were apparently taken to hospital: one with a gunshot to his hand, the other with an injury to his leg. Both are expected to recover.
According to police investigators, the shooter can be seen in CCTV footage from the earlier Rough Trade event. He was allegedly hanging around Gibbs and his group, trying to seem as if he knew them. There was even a moment inside the building when the attacker was standing directly beside Gibbs. Interviewed by officers, Gibbs said he didn’t recognise the gunman or another man, thought to be his partner.
“#StillLivin,” Gibbs tweeted later in the day. “I’m good ... I didn’t get shot.”
A king of mixtapes and a celebrated member of the contemporary rap underground, Gibbs has collaborated with artists such as Young Thug, Danny Brown and Raekwon. His first studio album, 2013’s ESGN, reached No 17 on the US rap chart, while a recent team-up with Madlib, Piñata, peaked at No 7.
