ROGERS PARK — The father of the Uptown rapper who was targeted in at least two shootings that ended up killing bystanders this year in Rogers Park said he was worried his son might not survive another attempt on his life.
"I’m scared for his life — of course," said the rapper's father when reached at his Edgewater home Tuesday.
He said his 19-year-old son was now "trying to get up out" of Illinois.
The daytime shootings took the lives of photographer Wil Lewis, 28, killed July 12 on Devon Avenue and 17-year-old Markeyo Carr, killed by a masked gunman in February in the parking lot of a Clark Street McDonald's.
Nevertheless, when asked if his son felt remorseful or scared after the two incidents, the rapper's father replied: “I don’t know; he don’t act scared. He doesn’t act fazed.”
But his father admitted the type of music his son creates puts him in the crosshairs of the gang members he insults.
"It’s all over YouTube," the father said. "That’s all they do is talk about violence. Kill this and shoot that."
DNAinfo Chicago is not naming the rapper for safety reasons following the two attempts on his life. He did not respond to requests for comment.
In recent weeks the rapper was actively publishing songs about Chicago street violence, including one that appeared to be filmed as he and others walked on Downtown streets.
Friends of the rapper, reached by phone and social media Tuesday, said they all attended a North Side high school together.
"He’s got some hot s--- coming out," said Noah Gino Cundari, 18, who is also a musician.
Cundari said he recently moved away from the neighborhood to his dad's house in Wisconsin, but he frequently visits the city to promote his music. He said he avoids lyrics about violence and instead makes dance music.
"I’ve heard gunshots, I’ve seen gunshots, but I’ve never had a gun pointed at me," he said. "That’s the price that comes with it when you’re about that life. If you’re going to rap about violence, guess what’s going to happen? Violence is going to come at you."
Another friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said his classmates would gather around the rapper "just to hear him rap."
He said after several of the rapper's friends were killed by Chicago gun violence, the rapper lashed out online.
"People targeted him because he's disrespectful on social media," said the friend, "and the only reason he is disrespectful is because he lost friends."
On his Twitter feed last year, the rapper mourned the death of several friends while criticizing the Vice Lords, the same gang prosecutors said targeted him in the slaying of Wil Lewis this month.
Shortly after the rapper was shot at in the slaying of Carr, he posted on Twitter, "Im Still Here."
Police said three other teens were injured in the shooting. His father said at the time that his son "got the least of it, out of all of them."
The rapper celebrated his 19th birthday in jail in the time between the shootings. He served about two months of a one-year sentence for unauthorized use of a firearm, according to court records. He also has three 2014 convictions for misdemeanor cases, including one for criminal trespass and two for reckless conduct.
He was paroled on the gun charge on June 3.
Five days later, he posted on his rap persona's Facebook page that he was back on the street.
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