ENGLEWOOD — The best friend of a man fatally shot in Englewood last week said that all Leandrew Harper wanted to do was find a way out of the neighborhood.
Music was supposed to be the aspiring rapper's way out.
But Harper, 34, was shot multiple times in the 7000 block of Honore Street about 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30 after an argument, police said. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“I’m not going to make it like he was an angel or he was a saint; he did dirt like anybody else, but he was doing what he felt like he had to do to make his music get to the next level,” said Marcus Gibson, Harper’s music producer and best friend.
Gibson said Harper, who rapped under the name “Lee Risk,” wanted to become successful in the music industry so that he could provide for his family and help his close friends.
Gibson said he doesn’t know who killed his friend, but he knew people were jealous of him.
He performed with King Louie, Yung LA and Bone Crusher and also worked with Sound Master T, a well-known producer/engineer from Chicago.
“When you get to a certain level, [not] everyone is going to be happy about your success, so as far as who done it, I don’t know, but there were people out here that didn’t want to see Lee have it,” said Gibson.
While he had been in a gang, Gibson said he joined for protection and wasn't violent.
The two met in 2002 when Gibson first moved to the neighborhood. Harper befriended him when he discovered that Gibson shared his passion for music. Harper would create the lyrics and Gibson provided the beats. They made a team, he said.
“He was a big part of my life, I was a big part of his,” Gibson said. “We were the closest thing to being genetic brothers as you could possible get without actual DNA,” he said.
Gibson described his friend as someone who loved making people laugh, always being right and lending a hand when he could.
“He had a big heart, and I don’t care what you needed, you needed money on your light bill, you needed some groceries, you had a parking ticket you couldn’t take care of by yourself, he was one of those guys who was always there to help out,” Gibson said.
Harper left behind an 8-year-old son, Makai, and Gibson said that he wants to honor Harper by starting a music company in his friend’s name, with the help of a few mutual friends. Some of the proceeds from it will go into a trust fund set up for Makai, he said.
“We want to do it in Lee’s honor and make sure we get his son straight for the future because that was his only son. He treated his son like a prince,” Gibson said.
Harper’s wake is at 10 a.m. Friday at Allen Metropolitan CME Church, 10946 S. Lowe St. The funeral is at 11 a.m.
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