Canadian police on Tuesday were investigating a pre-dawn shooting at the home of superstar rapper Drake, whose sprawling property in a tony Toronto neighbourhood remained cordoned off.

Police inspector Paul Krawczyk said a security guard at the mansion on The Bridle Path road was taken to hospital with serious injuries sustained from an apparent gunshot wound after suspects in a vehicle opened fire.

The shooting, captured on grainy security camera footage that has not been released to the public, happened at 2:09 am (0609 GMT).

The guard was standing outside the gates in front of the residence when the shooting occurred, Krawczyk told reporters.

“I cannot confirm if Drake was home at the time the incident occurred, but I can tell you that we are in contact with his team and they are cooperating,” the inspector added.

He said the suspects fled in the vehicle, but no descriptions were offered.

Police taped off most of the area. Several small orange markers, believed to indicate locations of shell casings, could be seen scattered on the road’s edge in front of the mansion.

The 37-year-old Drake, known for hits such as “God’s Plan” and “Hotline Bling,” was the highest-grossing rapper in the world last year.

He is currently embroiled in a feud with Kendrick Lamar, with the rappers exchanging barbed “diss tracks” that have drawn widespread attention.

Beefs are nothing new in hip-hop, a genre long known both for its artists’ boasts and their strongly worded takedowns of rivals.

There was no indication that the shooting had any relation to the rap battle.

Asked about the bad blood between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Krawczyk said he was aware of it, but added, “it is so early in the investigation that we don’t have a motive at this time, and so I cannot comment further on that.” (AFP)

• Toronto police patrol outside the home of Canadian rapper Drake after reports of a shooting early on May 7

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