Toronto, Canada - Canadian police on Tuesday were investigating a pre-dawn shooting near the residence of superstar rapper Drake, whose sprawling property remains cordoned off.

Police officer Paul Krawczyk said a security guard at the mansion on The Bridle Path road was taken to hospital with serious injuries sustained from an apparent gunshot wound after suspects in a vehicle opened fire.

The shooting, captured on grainy security camera footage that has not been released to the public, happened at 2:09 AM.

The guard was standing outside the gates in front of the residence when the shooting occurred, Krawczyk told reporters.

"I cannot confirm if Drake was home at the time the incident occurred, but I can tell you that we are in contact with his team and they are cooperating," the officer added.

He said the suspects fled in the vehicle, but no descriptions were offered.

Police taped off most of the area. Several small orange markers, believed to indicate locations of shell casings, could be seen scattered on the road's edge in front of the mansion.

The 37-year-old Drake, known for hits such as God's Plan and Hotline Bling, was the highest-grossing rapper in the world last year

He is currently embroiled in a lyrical feud with Kendrick Lamar, with the rappers exchanging barbed "diss tracks" that have drawn widespread attention.

Feuds are nothing new in hip-hop, a genre long known both for its artists' boasts and their strongly worded takedowns of rivals.

There was no indication that the shooting had any relation to the rap battle.

Asked about the bad blood between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, Krawczyk said he was aware of it, but added, "It is so early in the investigation that we don't have a motive at this time, and so I cannot comment further on that."