BloodHound Q50 was a Chicago rapper whose real name was Mikquale T. Cooper. He was 22 when he was fatally shot in Chicago’s Fuller Park neighborhood on September 13, 2026. His career had only been developing for a few years, but by the time of his death he had released multiple projects, performed at Rolling Loud and built a growing audience around his Chicago drill sound.
His death came just weeks after the release of his latest project, Get Back or Die Trying, and less than a month after his 22nd birthday.
Who Was BloodHound Q50?
BloodHound Q50 was the stage name of Mikquale T. Cooper, a Chicago rapper who became known through the city’s drill scene.
Q50 said in a 2025 VladTV interview that he started making music casually in 2023. His early recordings were not initially part of a carefully planned music career. He described songs such as “Big 3” as experiments before he began taking the profession more seriously.
That changed after the death of his cousin and collaborator, Bloodhound Lil Jeff, in 2024. Q50 later said he began taking rap more seriously and wanted to build something for himself and the people close to him.
What Was BloodHound Q50’s Real Name and How Old Was He?
BloodHound Q50’s real name was Mikquale T. Cooper, and he was 22 years old.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Cooper as the man killed in the Fuller Park shooting. ABC7 Chicago also reported that officials confirmed his identity.
Cooper was born on August 6, 2004. He had celebrated his 22nd birthday just weeks before his death, releasing Get Back or Die Trying on August 6.
Why is He Called BloodHound Q50?
Q50 explained the origin of his stage name himself.
In a 2025 VladTV interview, he said “Bloodhound” was his rap name and explained that “Q50” was a reference to the Infiniti Q50. He specifically addressed questions about whether the name itself represented a formal crew affiliation.
His explanation is useful because the Bloodhound name became closely associated with several Chicago rappers, particularly through his relationship with Bloodhound Lil Jeff.
What Was BloodHound Q50 Known For?
Q50’s music was rooted in Chicago drill, with his catalog growing rapidly after he began taking recording seriously.
Some of his notable releases include:
- “Big 3”
- “Coffin”
- “Splash Bros”
- “Don’t Blink or Stare”
- “Triple 3”
- “Go”
- “BH4L”
- “Head Taps”
- Get Back or Die Trying
His 2026 project Get Back or Die Trying arrived on August 6 and included an appearance from Bloodhound Lil Jeff, who had died in 2024.
The timing gave the album particular significance: it became Q50’s final major project while he was alive.
What Was BloodHound Q50’s Connection to Bloodhound Lil Jeff?
Bloodhound Lil Jeff was Q50’s cousin and one of his closest musical collaborators.
Q50 spoke about their relationship during his 2025 VladTV interviews. He said they became closer as they grew older and described Lil Jeff as someone he believed could become a major artist.
Lil Jeff’s death in 2024 had a direct effect on Q50’s career. Q50 said the loss pushed him to take music more seriously.
Their connection also remained present in Q50’s music. Get Back or Die Trying included Lil Jeff, meaning one of Q50’s final projects continued the musical relationship they had built before Lil Jeff’s death.
How Quickly Did BloodHound Q50’s Music Career Grow?
Q50’s career developed in roughly three years.
He began recording casually in 2023. By 2025, he was giving interviews about his background, releasing music and discussing plans for his career. In 2026, he performed at Rolling Loud in Orlando, giving him a much larger platform outside Chicago.
His final months also included several releases and a growing number of streams. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that his profile was rising quickly when he was killed.
That makes the timeline of his career notable: Q50 moved from experimenting with music to performing at a major festival and releasing a full project in only a few years.
What Was BloodHound Q50’s Final Album?
Q50’s final major project was Get Back or Die Trying, released on August 6, 2026.
The nine-track project arrived on his 22nd birthday and included music connected to his Bloodhound circle, including a posthumous appearance from Lil Jeff.
He also released “Head Taps” later in August.
The project now represents the final substantial body of music released during Q50’s lifetime.
What Happened to BloodHound Q50?
BloodHound Q50 was fatally shot in the Fuller Park neighborhood of Chicago on September 13, 2026.
Chicago police said a 22-year-old man was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle when two other vehicles pulled alongside and multiple people opened fire. He suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and shoulder and was pronounced dead. The Cook County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Mikquale Cooper, also known as BloodHound Q50.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported, based on a police report, that six gunmen were involved in the attack. A witness told the newspaper that more than 100 shots may have been fired, although that figure is the witness’s recollection rather than an official count.
Police had not announced any arrests or a motive in the latest reporting.
Did BloodHound Q50 Talk About the Dangers He Faced?
Yes. Q50 had spoken publicly about violence and the risks surrounding his life before his death.
In a July 2026 interview with DJ Akademiks, he discussed having previously been shot and acknowledged that he understood the dangers associated with his environment and career. PEOPLE reported that he said he was not going to run from those risks.
The Chicago Sun-Times also reported that Q50 had lost several people close to him to gun violence, including Bloodhound Lil Jeff and other associates.
Those comments have received renewed attention after his death, but they should be understood as statements Q50 made about his own circumstances rather than as evidence of a motive in the shooting.
What Was BloodHound Q50’s Last Public Activity?
Reports about Q50’s final social media activity have also circulated since his death.
Hindustan Times reported that his final Instagram Story appeared to show him supporting EST Gee’s new album and listening to one of the rapper’s songs.
This detail has attracted attention because it was reportedly posted only hours before the shooting. It does not, however, establish anything about the circumstances or motive behind his death.
Why is BloodHound Q50’s Death Receiving Attention?
Q50’s death comes after several losses involving Chicago’s drill community and at a point when his own career was beginning to expand beyond the local scene.
Within a short period, he had moved from making music casually to releasing projects, collaborating with established artists and appearing at Rolling Loud. His final album had arrived only weeks before he was killed.
For listeners discovering who BloodHound Q50 was, his catalog offers a relatively short record of an artist whose career was still developing. His story is also closely connected to Bloodhound Lil Jeff, whose death influenced Q50’s decision to pursue music more seriously.
The investigation into Q50’s killing remains ongoing, and authorities have not publicly announced a motive or suspects.
