Opa-locka rapper killed in drive-by shooting

An Opa-locka rapper known as Toro was shot dead in a drive-by shooting early Saturday in North Miami-Dade.
Derek Johnson, 23, was with another man inside their car on Northwest 119th Street and Sixth Avenue about 4 a.m. when a silver sedan passed by.

From inside the sedan, Miami-Dade police say, bullets sprayed the two, killing Johnson and leaving his companion with a minor wound. Detectives did not have a description of the shooter.

Johnson was gunned down near Coco's, a popular strip club.

The rapper was featured on the song Ride with local hip-hop star Rick Ross.

On his Myspace.com page, Johnson touts himself as the ''best n---a breathin!'' and names notorious North Miami-Dade gangs such as the John Does, Boobie Boys and Zoe Pound.

''I'm not influenced by rappers I'm influenced by gangsters,'' he wrote on his Myspace page, which, by early evening Saturday, was filled with messages of condolences from his friends.

Johnson and his sister were raised in Opa-locka by their grandmother, Addie Baldwin.

''I'm in a state of shock,'' Baldwin said. ``He was easy going, everybody loved him -- we thought.''

Comment by grownbootytube on October 20, 2008 at 1:57pm: thats crazy

Comment by Mike J on October 20, 2008 at 3:01pm: thats some ugly news 2 hear he went hard on dat eastcoast ryders vol.2 and spoke da truth on dat m.i.yayo movie RIP homie

Comment by MISS T-JEEZY on October 20, 2008 at 3:16pm: THATS JUST WHY I DONT GO 2 COCO'S THAT SHIT IS A DEATH TRAP R.I.P BOI

Comment by BENFRANKS85 on October 20, 2008 at 3:55pm: damm big homie. RIP

Comment by Leo on October 20, 2008 at 7:22pm: R.I.P BIG HOMIE OPA LOCKA GONNA MISS U.

Comment by CHOPPA CITY DJS on October 20, 2008 at 8:52pm: THATS MY NIGGAR RIP

Comment by tray plus on October 20, 2008 at 9:04pm: THAT TORO WAS A COOL ASS NIGGA THAT WAS ON HIS GRIND REST IN PEACE NIGGA... I WAS JUST FINNA SLIDE IN COCO'S FRIDAY NIGHT TOO BUT SOMETHING TOLD ME NOT TO GO SO I WENT TO DA CRIB SHIT KRAZY BUT I KNO THAT NIGGA HAD A GOOD TIME BE FOR HE GOT KILLED CAUSE IT'S SOME HOE'Z IN COCO'S