The rapper and father-to-be have been declared victims of the Notting Hill carnival

Takayo Nembhardt, 21, was stabbed under the Westway flyover near Ladbroke Grove station at around 8pm on Monday with hundreds of people nearby.

Police and paramedics treated him at the scene before he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead despite further efforts to save him.

The musician, who goes by the stage name TKorStretch, had traveled from Bristol to enjoy the annual event, which was attended by millions over the bank holiday.

His manager Chris Patrick, based in South London, paid tribute, saying: “He went to the carnival with his younger sister and friends to have a good time.

“It’s the worst possible ending for a talented kid.”

On Twitter, he wrote: “The talent was endless, he was close to greatness!

“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that TKorStretch passed away last night.

“My deepest condolences to the TK family. He was a good kid, what happened broke my heart.

“Rest in peace my friend.”

Mr Nembhard, whose songs include Flamenco Dance and Woah, have attracted more than a million views on YouTube. He had more than 300,000 plays of one of his songs on Spotify and nearly 11,000 monthly listeners.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Tuesday: “I am disgusted by this terrible attack. Violence has no place on our streets and we are doing everything in our power to eradicate it.”

One person who was at the scene described how the party atmosphere of the Carnival – which is returning after a two-year absence due to the Covid pandemic – changed suddenly when the killing happened.

“It all happened out of nowhere, one moment everyone was happy and talking and then it was carnage. There was blood everywhere and a person on the floor,” he said.

A woman who owns a house near the scene said: “There was screaming and then crowds of people running up the road. The whole crowd was in a panic. It was horrible, just pure panic on their faces.

Another resident said: “I looked out of my window and saw that a man was on the ground. People were running in all directions. It was total panic. People fled the scene as police ran towards the man. They started working on him to try and save him.

Videos of the scene posted on social media showed police trying to save the victim as he lay bleeding on the pavement.

A bystander shouts: “Someone’s been stabbed” as a large number of police arrive and surround him to allow emergency aid to be administered.

Witness Brian Stowell told The Standard: “I could tell by the amount of blood he wasn’t going to make it.

“Most people in the crowd were absorbed in the movement and atmosphere of the carnival.”

He said two women were among the officers trying to save him: “There was a woman who was putting on surgical gloves, but he was a civilian. And another woman in distress was in the circle—she seemed to have been with him.

Days before his tragic death, Mr Nembhard posted videos buying popsicles and juice to satisfy his girlfriend’s pregnancy cravings.

Mr Nembhardt was a former Bristol Rovers youth team player but had to quit football when he suffered a blood clot in his leg aged 16.

He told the TnZ podcast in February: “I had just scored running back to the center of the pitch.

“I felt a sharp pain in the back of my knee. I tried to turn it off but it wouldn’t. I tried to ice it.

“Within three days, my leg swelled up a lot. For nine months I didn’t know what it was.

“I think about it all the time. Now I’m trying to get back into football.”

He said he started rapping with his teammates on long coach trips to soccer games in London. He said his nickname was TK from year 6 or Stretch because he was tall, so he chose the rap name – TKorStretch.

And added: “I prefer to sing, that’s the best. I like the tunes, they’re more fun.”

Benzino, a close friend, told the Standard: “He was a proper kid, everyone knows him here. He was one of my younger ones, he is from my area.

“It’s sad, but that’s life. Happens.

“He was just getting started with his music. He also loved football.

“I spoke to him last week at KFC, he was good, he was letting loose with his boys.

“He had his music and his child, he was so excited.”

A police statement said: “At around 8pm on Monday 29 August, officers were called to a stabbing in Ladbroke Grove, under the Westway flyover.

“Officers provided emergency first aid to the victim – a 21-year-old man – until paramedics from London Ambulance Service arrived.

“They managed to get him through significant crowds in difficult circumstances to a waiting ambulance.

“He was taken to a west London hospital where, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was pronounced dead.

“His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist staff.”

Dr Alison Heydari, the local police chief constable, said: “A homicide investigation is underway, led by detectives from the Met’s Homicide Squad.

“They will pursue every possible line of inquiry to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

“There were hundreds of people in the immediate area when this incident happened.

“I would urge anyone who saw anything, has video or has any other information that could assist officers to come forward.”

Anyone with information can contact the police directly on 101 quoting 7478/29 Aug.

Information can also be given to the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.