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Grammy-nominated rapper King Louie was shot in the head in Chicago on Wednesday, but is expected to survive.
The performer, 28, was grazed by a bullet after an unidentified suspect approached his vehicle and shot into the car on the city’s Southwest Side around 3:30 p.m. local time. He was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he is now in stable condition. According to a rep from his management, Louie is conscious and talking.
Born Louis Johnson, the musician is also known as King L. He is widely credited with coining the term “Chiraq,” and is a prominent rapper on the Chicago scene. Most notably, he appeared on Kanye West’s last album, Yeezus, and shared a Grammy nomination for “New Slaves.”
The news of the shooting prompted “King Louie” to become the top trending topic in the U.S. on Wednesday night, and also trended on the worldwide list. Messages of concern and well-wishes are pouring in on Twitter from fans, as well as from other stars. Chance The Rapper, a fellow Chicagoan, tweeted, “I believe in the power of prayer and I believe my brother Louie gone be ok. Send prayers to him in his battle.”
Both Chance and Louie have been outspoken against Spike Lee’s new film Chi-Raq. When the movie was released earlier this month, Louie dropped a new song called “F*ck Spike Lee.” Disturbingly, Wednesday’s shooting comes after he recently participated in anti-violence campaign in Chicago called “Put Down The Guns.”
And just hours before he was shot, Louie posted an Instagram photo showing him with kids, writing that “as long as I’m living,” they would keep him on the straight and narrow. Now Gossip Cop sincerely wishes Louie a speedy recovery.
