Toronto rapper Top5, whose real name is Hassan Ali, was reportedly stabbed in the neck by a masked assailant while attending the Wireless Festival in London over the weekend of July 13-14, 2025. Multiple sources and social media reports show that the incident occurred while Top5 interacted with fans. Despite the severity of the attack, the rapper survived and is currently recovering.
The stabbing took place during or around the Wireless Festival, where fellow Toronto rapper Drake was headlining all three nights. Top5 had traveled to London to support his friend Drake, but became the target of a violent attack. According to reports from the Toronto blogger account keep6ixsolid and hip-hop media personality DJ Akademiks, a masked man approached Top5 while he was speaking with fans and stabbed him in the neck. The exact timing and specific location within the festival weekend remain unclear.
Fortunately, Top5 survived the attack and is in stable condition. The Instagram account keep6ixsolid posted an update stating,
“he is okay and that no arteries were hit ”.
The rapper is currently recovering from the incident.
The attack has sparked speculation about its connection to ongoing tensions within Toronto’s rap scene. Reports indicate that members of the “Wassa camp,” including rappers Why G and FB, were also present at the Wireless Festival. Following news of the stabbing, both Why G and FB allegedly posted laughing emojis to their Instagram stories, leading to online speculation about their potential involvement or reaction to the incident.
A tweet from X.
The incident may be linked to longstanding disputes between Top5 and other Toronto rap crews, particularly the Driftwood and Wassa camps. Just days before the attack, Top5 was seen in a video with Cole Bennett, founder of Lyrical Lemonade, where they were throwing down “3’s” with their hands—a gesture widely interpreted as disrespecting the 3L/Driftwood court set in Toronto.
Prominent hip-hop commentator DJ Akademiks, who has significant influence in the rap media space, addressed the incident on his Instagram stories while on vacation. He wrote,
“Praying for peace at top five. I love you, brother.”
Top5 is a controversial figure in Toronto’s rap scene. He has faced legal troubles in the past, including being charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2021 shooting death of 20-year-old Hashim Omar Hashi. However, those charges were stayed in September 2024 after a judge ruled that his social media posts and lyrics could not be used as evidence. Top5 has been associated with Drake and was notably referenced in Drake’s 2016 song “Grammys.”
Hours before the alleged stabbing, Top5 reportedly said on a livestream that “there are no real killers in London,” a statement some have interpreted as provocative given the subsequent events.
