American rapper XXXTentacion was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Florida on Monday (June 18) after leaving a motorcycle dealership.

According to police reports, the rapper was approached by two armed suspects, one of whom shot him, before they fled the scene in a dark-coloured SUV.

Despite being a newcomer to the music world, the 20-year-old,whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy, had already released two successful back-to-back albums.

His first, "17", was released last August, while his second album, "?", released in March this year, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The Straits Times looks at other famous rappers who have been targeted in shootings.

1. Tupac Shakur

Perhaps the most famous of the lot is Tupac Shakur, who was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September 1996. The 25-year-old died from his injuries six days later. For a generation of hip hop fans, the mystery of who shot Tupac remains unsolved.

2. The Notorious B.I.G

Along with his rival Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G, also known as Biggie Smalls or simply Biggie, was one of most compelling figures in rap music in the 1990s. He was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California, in March 1997, just six months after Tupac's untimely death.His murder also remains unsolved.

3. Rick Ross

Rick Ross was the target of an unsuccessful drive-by shooting in Florida in 2013 after exiting a restaurant where he celebrated his 37th birthday. An unidentified gunman opened fire on his car, which he crashed into an apartment building as he tried to drive away. Neither Ross nor his girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, were injured. The gunman disappeared before the police arrived at the scene, according to reports.

4. 50 Cent

In May 2000, 50 Cent was shot nine times at close range outside his grandmother's home.

He spent 13 days in the hospital treating his injuries, which included bullet wounds in his hand, arm, hip, legs, chest and left cheek. The shot through his cheek left him with a permanently swollen tongue that gave him a distinctive slur in his voice. Three years later he shot to fame with the song In Da Club, the lead single of his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin', and even released his own video game called Bulletproof.

5. Young Buck

The former member of 50 Cent's rap collective G-Unit was targeted in a drive-by shooting in 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee, where his car was shot at 11 times. He survived without a scratch but his girlfriend was hit once in the shoulder.