Notting Hill stabbing: ‘Talented and caring’ rapper, 21, killed at carnival was expectant father

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A man stabbed to death at Notting Hill Carnival has been named as a 21-year-old rapper and father-to-be.

Takayo Nembhard - who used the name TKorStretch - was killed amid crowded scenes at the event on Monday.

His agent paid tribute to the “talented” rapper from Bristol on Tuesday, adding that his child “will never meet his father”.

“He went to Carnival with his younger sister and friends to have a good time,” Chris Patrick, who represented Mr Nembhard, said. “This is the worst possible ending for a talented kid.”

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His girlfriend posted a moving tribute to Mr Nembhard on Tuesday, calling him the “most kind-hearted, loving, funny and caring person” and saying “all I can ask is why over and over again”.

“I’m sat here with sore eyes and a heavy heart as I’ve cried consistently for the last 12 hours while carrying your unborn son,” she said.

His girlfriend shared a number of pictures of them together, including one of Mr Nembhard lying on her baby bump.

She wrote: “I love you whole heartedly and I’m so glad I get to share something so special with you and I know I’ll see you in him everyday”.

Mr Patrick said he had met Mr Nembhard two years ago, when the rapper, then 19, travelled down from Bristol with his father to visit his studio.

He said that meeting “took us on a journey” and said the artist was “close to greatness”.

The 21-year-old had more than 300,000 plays on one of his songs on Spotify, and nearly 11,000 monthly listeners.

“So it’s with a heavy heart that I bring the news that Takayo (TKorStretch) passed away last night. He came from Bristol to simply have a good time at the London carnival and this is the end result!” Mr Patrick posted.

He added: “My deepest condolences to TK’s Mother & Father his Brother, 2 Sisters, Girlfriend and child that will never meet his father!

“TK was a good kid, a good guy and what has happened breaks my heart.”

The Metropolitan Police launched a murder investigation over the stabbing at the west London Carnival on Monday.

It said officers became aware of a stabbing under the Westway flyover in Ladbroke Grove at around 8pm.

“They were able to extract him through significant crowds in challenging circumstances to a waiting ambulance,” the force said.

“He was taken to a west London hospital where, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead.”

Dr Alison Heydari, the Met’s commander of local policing, said there were hundreds of people in the “immediate vicinity” when the stabbing took place.

Nearly a million people went to Adults Day at Notting Hill Carnival on Monday as the event returned for the first time since the Covid pandemic hit.

The Met said six other stabbings were reported across the two days, with these resulting in non-fatal injuries.

As of Tuesday morning, officers had made more than 200 arrests since the start of the annual celebration- including 36 on suspicion of drug possession, while 46 were on suspicion of assault.

The Met said it stopped and searched more than 440 people during the Carnival. A Section 60 order - which allows for searches without reasonable suspicion in the wake of major incidents - was in place from Monday night into Tuesday. The force said this was due to “a number of violent incidents and serious stabbings”.

It also said 74 officers were injured over the course of the two days.

In an appeal over the fatal stabbing of Mr Nembhard, Dr Heydari from the Met urged any witnesses, anyone with video footage or other information to come forward.

The Met is urging people to get in contact on 101 and providing reference 7478/29AUG to share any information. Alternatively, they can provide this anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.