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Chicago rapper Mello Buckzz's album release party became the scene of a drive-by shooting, reportedly killing at least four people and injuring 14 others. According to NBC Chicago, the incident occurred at the Artis Restaurant and Lounge located at 311 West Chicago Avenue at around 11 pm local time on July 2, 2025.
The lounge was hosting the release party for Mello Buckzz's debut EP, HollyHOOD, scheduled for release on July 3, when the shooting occurred. As per the same media outlet, a dark vehicle drove past the lounge where the party was held. One person reportedly opened fire on the gathered crowd and fled the scene after multiple shots were fired.
Following the shooting, multiple Chicago police vehicles and fire trucks arrived at the scene to assess the situation and help victims. The victims, who were in their 20s and 30s, were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
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Two men, aged 24 and 25, and two women, aged 26 and 27, were reportedly killed in the shooting. The 24-year-old man was hit in the torso, while the other man was shot in the head. Meanwhile, both women were allegedly shot in the chest and succumbed to their injuries. Mello Buckzz's boyfriend and close friend were among the deceased.
Out of the injured victims, three women reportedly remain in critical condition. A 21-year-old woman was shot in the mouth, while another woman, aged 24, was shot in the back. The third woman, 24, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
Furthermore, two more victims, a 32-year-old woman with a thigh wound and a 31-year-old woman with multiple gunshot wounds, were seemingly in a "fair and serious condition."
Per NBC Chicago, the Artis Restaurant and Lounge reportedly sits in the same location as the Hush Chicago, a nightclub that became the site of a shooting incident in 2022 that left one person dead and three injured. The Chicago Police Department shut down Hush Chicago after the 2022 incident, deeming it a "public safety threat."
Mello Buckzz mourned her best friend and boyfriend's deaths on social media
Following the incident, Mello Buckzz took to her Instagram Story to mourn her loss. According to Billboard, Buckzz posted a video of herself and a man (presumed to be her boyfriend) dancing, and the clip was captioned:
“We was having so much fun in our private little life, couldn’t leave each other alone glued to my hip everyday. It’s not a night we ain’t spend together. I’m so f**ing angry. U was woke I held yo hand until I couldn’t. U talked to me. Clearly ion get it boo, I’m f**ked up.”
In a follow-up post, she wrote that she couldn't believe she lost both her boyfriend and best friend in one night. In other posts, she added:
“My heart broke into so many pieces rn it’s unbelievable. Why is this happening to me? … I don’t wish this typa pain on nobody dam my f**king crew.”
Mello Buckzz, whose real name is Melanie Doyle, reportedly made her debut in 2021 after the release of her single Damn Buckzz. The drill rapper rose to fame with her tracks Boom, Pt. 2 (featuring Latto) and Pretty Opp in 2023, and was labeled as an artist to watch by Pitchfork that year.
In other news, authorities are looking into the drive-by shooting at Mello Buckzz's party. The shooter has not been identified at the time of writing this article.
