Mario Hess, 33, had just signed a record deal with Interscope Records, according to his manager Renaldo Ruben Hess, "This was his dream and he finally got his foot in the door," Renaldo Hess, also a cousin to the victim, said. "But that's how it goes in Chicago. He really wanted to get off the streets."
Mario Hess was gunned down Wednesday around 9:30 p.m. near 56th and Elizabeth on the city's South Side. Renaldo Hess said Blood Money, who also went by Big Glo, was on his way to the studio when he stopped to talk to some girls in a car. He was fatally shot in the chest, and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County at 10:29 p.m. Wednesday.
Another man was also wounded in the shooting. The 33-year old was taken to Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Renaldo Hess said Blood Money had a lengthy criminal past, was trying to leave it behind. He said there's no known motive.
"This was what he wanted more than anything, you know. He's been in and out of jail, you know, and this has been the longest he's been out of jail. Focusing on his career," Renaldo Hess said. "He got the deal and he was working hard."
Blood Money collaborated with his cousin Chief Keef on several tracks, including "F--k Rehab," a Chief Keef single released in March. More than 13 million people have watched that video on worldstarhiphop.com. A Blood Money track featuring Chief Keef called "Thought He Was" has gotten almost two million views on YouTube.com.
Blood Money got a $50,000 signing bonus two weeks ago from Interscop Records in Los Angeles. Renaldo Hess, who also manages Chief Keef, said the rapper spent a portion of it on his family, bills and a car.
"I just spoke to him two days ago and I could sense something wasn't right," Hess said. "Whenever you get money people in Chicago start looking. They don't have money and he was flashing $8,000. Other people looking to stick him up."
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