ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
PROMINENT BLUE MOUNTAINS MC Lil KoneKunt was rushed to hospital in the early hours of this morning after becoming the latest victim in the ongoing gang violence that’s plagued Australia’s hip hop scene for years.
At approximately 3:30 am AEST, the 25-year-old was allegedly set upon by a group of men in the carpark of a Penrith fast food restaurant, who each punched the rapper once in the head before returning to their car and speeding away.
An hour later, he was rushed to nearby Nepean Base Hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma after going into shock as emergency staff cut off his Nike TN trainers, Nautica shorts and polo shirt.
Born Paul Fredrick Davidson, Lil KoneKunt has been especially vocal in the “Skiphop” scene, often turning up wherever hip-hop related violence spilled over into the streets.
Late last year, Brisbane-based MC and producer Regurgifinger was punched down in what police initially thought was an unrelated and unprovoked attack, but later turned out to be an organised “ganking” – a street term for a group of people assaulting a single person.
The ganking was linked to Lil KoneKunt, who is said to have some serious beef with Regurgifinger after an afternoon at Brisbane’s famed Regatta Hotel turn sour back in July. After ordering and paying for lunch, Regurgifinger was offended that Lil KoneKunt ate the last piece of salt and pepper squid, sparking a melee.
Detective superintendent Wallace Yogatte is head of the Australian Hip-Hop Gang Violence Investigation Taskforce (AHHGVT). He says that we’ve only seen the start of what promises to be a seriously bloody turf war.
“There’s going to be more split lips and black eyes,” said Yogatte. “That I can promise.”
Speaking today from outside The Downing Centre, Detective Yogatte assured the population that the violence won’t escalate any further and that the likelihood of anybody dying is very low.
“Because there’s no drugs involved, we don’t expect anybody to get shot,” he said.
“Being white and middle-class is the best protection from violence in this country. Yeah, they might punch the shit through each other once and a while. Whatever. Boys will be boys.”
