Nigerian-British singer stabbed to death in London, friends and fans mourn

A British-Nigerian singer and songwriter, Talay Riley, has died after a stabbing incident in East London. This has led to a murder investigation by the police.

Talay, whose real name was Mark Yinka Orabiyi, was attacked around 9am on Friday on Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown. This information comes from local news outlet Newham Recorder.

Emergency services went to the scene but could not save the 35-year-old musician.

Homicide detectives from the Specialist Crime Command are now investigating the murder.

His family confirmed his death in a statement. They expressed their feelings of “overwhelming sadness.”

“It is with overwhelming sadness that we confirm that Mark ‘Yinka’ Orabiyi, professionally known as Talay Riley, passed away yesterday morning,” the family said.

They described him as a Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum-selling artist. They said his humour, generosity, and presence would be deeply missed.

The family also thanked the public for their support during this tough time. “We are deeply grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support that we have received through messages, calls and visits over the past hours,” they added.

Talay was the brother of music producer Scribz Riley. He had a music career that lasted over a decade in the R&B scene. He got a publishing deal with Global Publishing at just 18 years old. Later, he signed with Jive/Sony Records after featuring on rapper Chipmunk’s 2009 single.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Scribz described his brother as a mentor and inspiration. He said Talay was “a light in so many people’s lives,” and that his heart was “shattered” by this loss.

Scribz wrote, “My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep, we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation.

“Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives. He had one of the purest hearts I’ve ever known. He loved deeply, gave freely, and touched countless people through his talent, kindness, and spirit.

“The outpouring of love already shows how many lives he impacted. You inspired so many people, and your legacy will continue to live on through your music, your family, your friends, and everyone blessed enough to have known you. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and my family, we appreciate you all.”

Among those who paid tribute were rapper Stormzy and singer Craig David. They worked with Talay on his 2018 album, The Time Is Now.