Swedish rapper Einár shot dead in Stockholm, aged 19
The rapper was one of Sweden's most popular artists
Swedish rapper Einár has been shot and killed in Stockholm. He was 19 years old.
According to reports the musician, whose real name was Nils Kurt Erik Einar Grönberg, was shot in the head and chest in the area of Hammarby Sjöstad while leaving an apartment building on Thursday night (October 21).
Emergency services were called, but Grönberg died at the scene. A police murder investigation is also underway, but no arrests have yet been made.
Police spokesman Ola Österling confirmed (via Mail Online): “We continue to secure clues and technical evidence with our forensic technicians. Several samples will be sent for analysis and are being analysed right now.”
“It is a young life that has been lost, and I understand that he meant a lot to many young people. It’s tragic that another life has been lost,” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told the news agency TT today (October 22).
Minister of culture Amanda Lind told newspaper Dagens Nyheter that the news was “Terrible and unbelievably sad. My thoughts are now with all relatives,” while Märta Stenevi, minister for gender equality and housing, said on Twitter: “Another young man has fallen victim to deadly violence. Behind every headline is a family that has lost a child. I am thinking today of all those who have lost a relative.”
Last year, a rival rapper Yasin was sentenced to 10 months in prison after Grönberg was kidnapped, robbed, and held at gunpoint for several hours by members of the criminal gang Vårbynätverket, who also took photos of him and posted them on social media.
According to Svenska Dagbladet, Grönberg was set to testify next week in a trial related to the kidnapping incident, and had received a number of death threats in the time since.
Einár, who raps in Swedish, was a star in the country after his 2019 breakthrough single ‘Gucci / Duckar Popo’ racked up over a million streams. Its follow-up ‘Katten i trakten’ then topped the Swedish charts. He was also the country’s most streamed artist on Spotify that year.
His self-released 2019 albums, ‘Första klass’ and ‘Nummer 1’ were both Swedish number one hits, and his third album ‘Welcome To Sweden’ reached number two. He has also won two Grammis Awards, the country’s equivalent to the Grammys.