Rapper Mario Hess, aka Blood Money, was shot and killed Wednesday night in Chicago.

There were conflicting accounts of Hess’ age. The Chicago Tribune said he was 33, but Chicago ABC affiliate WLS said he was 30. Hess’ manager and cousin, Renaldo Hess, said Blood Money was trying to turn his life around and get off the dangerous streets of Chicago’s South Side when he was killed. Blood Money is a cousin of 18-year-old rapper Chief Keef.

"This was his dream, and he finally got his foot in the door," Renaldo Reuben Hess told WLS, referring to rapping. "But that's how it goes in Chicago. He really wanted to get off the streets."

“It's a lot of crime and violence in Chicago, these rap guys are being targeted, so you know, just trying to get him outside the neighborhood," Hess told the Tribune. "He's from the streets.”

Mario Hess, who also went by Big Glo, collaborated with Chief Keef on the song “F--- Rehab,” among other tracks. Blood Money was recently signed to a deal with Interscope Records.

"He was basically trying to just get his rap career together because that's a good opportunity," his manager said. "They gave him some money up front. It was a good chance for him to get himself out the hood."

Renaldo Reuben Hess said his cousin received a $50,000 signing bonus from Interscope. Big Glo spent the money on his family and used the rest to buy a car and pay bills. The manager wondered if the money had something to do with the shooting.

"I just spoke to him two days ago, and I could sense something wasn't right," he told WLS. "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."

The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Englewood section of Chicago, according to WLS. Blood Money and his manager were en route to a studio and decided to speak to some girls in a car when someone walked up to Big Glo and shot him, the station reported.

Blood Money sustained a gunshot wound to his chest and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:29 p.m. Wednesday.

According to the Tribune, Big Glo was shot as many as 10 times. Police told the paper that there were two shooters.

Besides Big Glo, a 28-year-old was also shot during the incident, but the rapper’s manager said he didn’t know who the other victim was or whether he had any connection to Blood Money.

Mario Hess' death caused "RIP Blood Money" to trend on Twitter, where many users expressed their condolences.