Murder of Star Rapper Is a Stunner in Sweden

Einar, 19, was shot to death in what is believed to be a gang-related shooting
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 22, 2021 2:09 PM CDT
Teen Rapper's Murder Rattles Sweden
A man places a candle and flower tribute near the site where Swedish rapper Einar was shot to death, in Hammarby Sjostad district in Stockholm, Friday, Oct. 22, 2021.   (Henrik Montgomery/TT via AP)

An award-winning 19-year-old Swedish rapper was shot to death in southern Stockholm in an incident that media reports on Friday said was likely to be gang-related, per the AP. The case has shocked the Swedish entertainment world and highlighted what officials said was the urgent need to deal with growing criminal gang activity in the Nordic country. The rapper Einar was struck by several bullets in the Hammarby suburb south of central Stockholm and died on the spot late Thursday, police spokesman Ola Osterling told the Swedish news agency TT. Police are looking for at least two suspects who allegedly shot the rapper.

The motive of the shooting remains unclear, but the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that the rapper had received several threats recently. It said without providing details that Einar was shot from point-blank range “execution style.” According to the Swedish public broadcaster SVT, the rapper's shooting was gang-related. Einar, whose real name is Nils Gronberg, was born in Stockholm and rose to fame at the age of 16 when his song “Katten i trakten,” from his debut album Forsta klass topped the Swedish charts in 2019.

He was awarded with the song of the year award in 2019 and the newcomer of the year award a year later. Einar’s songs have been downloaded hundreds of thousands times on Spotify. “I understand that he (Einar) meant a lot to many young people,” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told SVT. “This is of course tragic. It is a young life that has been extinguished.” Swedish tabloid Expressen said that Einar’s songs often dealt with criminality and the rapper allegedly had strong connections with local criminal gangs. He had been seen hanging out and partying with gang members.

(More Sweden stories.)

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