Rising Brooklyn rapper fatally shot as gun violence plagues hip-hop community

A 22-year-old man who was shot and killed in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday afternoon has been identified by police as Tahjay Dobson, a rising star in the Brooklyn hip-hop scene who goes by the stage name TDott Woo.

Dobson was shot in the head outside his home on Avenue L in Canarsie, a residential area in Brooklyn, police told ABC News. EMS was rushed to the scene and he was transported to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The NYPD is investigating and no arrests have been made as of Thursday afternoon, police said.

The up-and-coming rapper was friends with Pop Smoke, the late Brooklyn hip-hop star who was shot and killed on Feb. 19, 2020.

Dobson was killed hours after signing a record deal with Million Dollar Records, which was announced on the record label's Instagram stories earlier this week, according to a Complex report.

The label confirmed Dobson's death and shared a tribute to him on its official Instagram page, along with photos of the rapper.

"It's an honor to remain your friend until your last moments. Your memories will always stay with us no matter where we go & what we do Sleep in peace. #LongLiveTdott," the message said. "Just know his legacy will always live, from his laugh to the dance everyone across the world does, some of us know him a friend, brother, cousin or just a fan but we all come together to tell you FLY HIGH."

Dobson was also known for his dance skills, including the Woo Walk or Woo Dance, which went viral on TikTok over the past couple of years, as fans tried to emulate his moves and shared their videos with the #woowalkchallenge.

Tributes for the rapper poured in on social media from the community and several artists shared messages honoring his memory.

"U Iconic gang !! Energy unmatched... we gon miss u forever," Bronx rapper Lil Tjay wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday, along with a video of TDott Woo performing.

New York rapper Fivio Foreign, who worked with TDott in the past, also shared a tribute to Dobson on Instagram, writing, "Imma miss you forever baby boy/ You was the prince of this city. Long Live Prince T Dot. I love you gang. Like forever watch over me like you always do."

Dobson's death comes amid a string of rapper killings over the past few years, largely due to gun violence.

Most recently, Compton rapper Slim 400 was shot and killed on Dec. 9, hours after he shared a tribute to Young Dolph, the Memphis rapper who was shot and killed on Nov. 17, 2021, at a bakery in his hometown.

Over the past few years, Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, King Von, Mo3 and most recently, Drakeo The Ruler, were also killed through violent crime.

Dobson, who honors Pop Smoke in his Instagram bio, has shared multiple tributes to the late rapper since he was killed in 2020.

"Never Thought Inna Millions Years I Would Be Saying RIP To My Brother , Friend , Cousin," Dobson wrote in an Instagram post, along with a photo of Pop Smoke, when he was killed. "Luv Yu Gang I Promise We Ain't Gon Leave What You Started," he continued.

Pop Smoke, who was nominated posthumously for two Grammy Awards, was also from Dobson's neighborhood in Canarsie. He was 20 when he was killed and the second anniversary of his death is coming up on Feb. 19.