[UPDATE] Benzino Says ‘Money, Jealousy & Envy’ Led To Family Member Shooting Him

Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’s Benzino (real name Raymond Scott) seems to be all smiles, just 24 hours after being shot.

On Sunday, the CEO of Hip Hop Weekly’s friends and family shared photos of him recovering in the hospital.

On Saturday, he was injured after being shot by his nephew on a Massachusetts highway, while riding in a funeral procession for his mother.

As previously reported, the 48-year-old was traveling on Route 3 south of Boston just before noon, when his 36-year-old nephew Gai Scott pulled alongside and fired several shots into a red SUV driven by Benzino.

Benzino got out of the SUV after being struck and was taken by a passerby to the Duxbury Police Department and then transferred to a hospital.

Hip-Hop Weekly said he was shot in an arm, and his back was grazed by a bullet. As of Sunday morning, a spokeswoman for the hospital listed him in ‘good condition’.

According to the Associated Press, police responding to the scene found the red SUV in the middle of Route 3 with bullet holes and a reddish brown substance believe to be blood inside the vehicle. Officials said shell casings and projectiles also were found at the scene. Gai was taken into custody and charged with assault with intent to murder. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in the Plymouth District Court.

There is much speculation as to why Gai shot Benzino. Besides the fact that there was ‘growing tension‘ between them, no additional information has been shared.

Benzino’s children have visited the reality star, along with his fiancee, business partner Dave Mays and Love & Hip Hop Atlanta friend Stevie J. On Saturday, Stevie J wrote on Instagram:

God is Good!

No additional information has yet been released.

UPDATE 11:23 a.m. EST

In an interview with Boston.com, Benzino makes his first public statement, telling the outlet

I looked over, there was a car, and all I saw was a gun shooting at me…I was trying to duck and dodge, drive around it, maneuver the car. … I was bleeding a lot. I was driving with my thumb in my shoulder to try to stop the bleeding.

The reality star says that the bitter family beef was over finances and the care of his deceased mother, Mary Scott. Because of this he said he mourned her privately earlier Saturday at the funeral home where the wake was held.

I didn’t want to be around them. I felt like, I didn’t want any problems. I can love my mother and there doesn’t have to be no problems with family.

According to Benzino, he was stunned the family feud escalated to the point of violence, saying he had given thousands of dollars to the relatives involved. He added that

Money, jealousy, and envy

had destroyed family relationships. He didn’t say specifically which family member was responsible for shooting him. 

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