Lil Reese, the Chicago hip-hop artist who was shot last week in south suburban Country Club Hills, appears to have been released from the hospital last week — and now he wants $1 million to tell his side of the story.
Reese, whose name is Tavares Taylor, was shot about 2:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at 167th Street and Pulaski Road, according to Country Club Hills police and social media reports.
Though Christ Medical Center spokeswoman Johnna Kelly declined to confirm the rapper’s identity to the Chicago Sun-Times, she reportedly told Complex that Taylor was critically injured.
Taylor appeared on his Instagram Live feed Friday sitting in a vehicle and listening to music. While he didn’t say a word during the brief video, messages of support continuously rolled in with fans posting a string of comments, such as “yessss u good” and “Man I knew u couldnt go out like that.”
Two days later, Taylor took to Instagram again to post a photo of a grisly neck wound held together with staples. The caption reads, “Made 4 it Lifes a gamble I got hella luck.”
On Saturday, longtime Chicago hip-hop journalist Andrew Barber, who runs the influential Fake Shore Drive blog, tweeted the video and confirmed Taylor had been released from the hospital.
“Lil Reese is outta the hospital and riding around bumping Jon B. You love to see it. Get well soon brodie,” Barber wrote.
Taylor then took to Twitter Sunday to respond to another tweet reading, “Vlad gonna try to get that lil reese interview by any means.” The message is seemingly in reference to DJ Vlad, a media personality who often interviews rappers on his YouTube channel.
“Tell him I need a million for this story this s—t ain’t fake or free s—t bigger then 50 rick Ross and whoever els,” Taylor tweeted, comparing the incident to shootings involving rappers 50 Cent, who was shot nine times in New York City in 2000, and Rick Ross, who was the target of a 2013 shooting in Florida.
Tell him I need a million for this story this shit ain’t fake or free shit bigger then 50 rick Ross and whoever els https://t.co/bwqr792Ev7
— LilReese (@LilReese300) November 17, 2019
Taylor gained increased notoriety after the 2012 murder of fellow rapper Joseph Coleman, also known as Lil Jojo, who openly feuded with Taylor and his associates and was shot to death hours after posting a video to YouTube showing him taunting Taylor in the street.
In the aftermath of Coleman’s death, Taylor’s frequent collaborator Chief Keef tweeted “Its Sad Cuz Dat N—a Jojo Wanted To Be Jus Like Us #LMAO.” The rapper later claimed his account was hacked.
Coleman’s brother John Coleman Jr., another local rapper who goes by $wagg Dinero, appeared to celebrate Taylor’s shooting last week, posting an Instagram Live video listening to “Who Shot Ya?” by the Notorious B.I.G. The song is one of the most famous diss tracks in hip-hop history, released months after rival Tupac Shakur was shot in New York City.
Representatives for Taylor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.