Stabbed Sydney rapper's condition improves

15 Oct 2012, 7:47 pm   -   Source: AAP
Police said a teenager was stabbed in the torso during the fracas before security officers intervened. (Getty Images)

Police said a teenager was stabbed in the torso during the fracas before security officers intervened. (Getty Images)

A 19-year-old former X Factor contestant stabbed after a launch party for his new single has woken from a coma and spoken to friends.

A former X Factor contestant stabbed outside a Sydney nightclub has woken from a medically-induced coma, asking his friend: "Can I still rap?".

Jelal Edmonds, 19, was stabbed in the torso after a fight broke out in Paddington in the early hours of Sunday, after he had been at a launch party for his new single with band mate Panapa Iafeta.

The pair are alleged to have been involved in a row with two other men, during which one of them produced a knife and stabbed Mr Edmonds, who performs as Lazy J.

Mr Iafeta, 20, who first appeared with his friend on the X Factor in 2010, told the Seven Network on Monday that he had spoken to him in hospital.

"The first thing that came out of his mouth was: `Can I still rap?'," Mr Iafeta said.

Mr Edmonds is in a serious but stable condition at St Vincent's Hospital and will soon be moved onto a ward from the intensive care unit, a hospital spokesman said.

A Facebook fan page for Lazy J showed the pair were performing at Sin nightclub on Saturday night to celebrate the launch of the single, Ecstasy. Messages of support for Mr Edmonds have been left on the site.

Two men, aged 21 and 22, have been charged with affray and will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on November 12.

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