Vigil for Kiing Shooter reportedly shut down by NYPD due to COVID-19
The Mass Appeal signee sadly passed away earlier this week.
Up-and-coming Queens rapper and Mass Appeal signee Kiing Shooter tragically passed away earlier this week after being hospitalized for liver problems. Unconfirmed reports have claimed Kiing passed away from Coronavirus complications after contracting the novel disease in the hospital, but his official cause of death has not yet been announced.
On Tuesday (May 5), over 50 people assembled in Queensbridge Park to honor Kiing. According to the New York Post, local police department arrived to the park around 2 p.m. after responding to a call and disbanded the vigil. Gatherings of over 10 people are currently not permitted in the state due to Coronavirus and a spokesperson from the NYPD told the outlet they were forced to shut it down.
Mass Appeal Records founder Nas mourned the untimely death of the 24-year-old rapper on Instagram with a poem.
“[Kiing Shooter] You made your mark and got your wings / On many hearts, you pulled their strings / From QB to Heaven, the world in between/ What a pleasure to have you, in our lives, in this world, in our world / We shared our street dreams,” Nas wrote on Tuesday (May 5). “Condolences to [Kiing Shooter’s] family and friends.”
Kiing had just recently dropped off his debut solo album Still Outside back in March. He was signed to the Mass Appeal offshoot Street Dreams Records, which is managed by Nas’ brother, Jungle.
“Kiing Shooter was one of the new guys coming up in Queensbridge,” fellow Queens rapper Big Twins told HipHopDX upon Kiing’s passing. “Nas just signed ‘em to Street Dream Records. He was coming with it. What’s crazy is that Alchemist just hit me three days ago, asking me, ‘Who’s this dude Shooter? He’s nice.’”
“He was the one that broke through the most, getting hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube and really coming with it,” Twins continued. “Me and his father go way back… we used to play basketball together and he used to date my older sister. But Shooter next up to represent the Bridge… I’m stunned today. Rest in peace Shooter.”
See some reactions to Kiing’s tragic death below.