The proverb is simple: “If at first you don’t succeed,...

A gunman tried to turn Chicago rapper Chief Keef into the next Tupac Shakur early Saturday in front of a Midtown hotel — but totally missed the mark, police sources said.

Instead of striking the 22-year-old Keef, whose real name is Keith Farrelle Cozart, the gunman’s errant 5 a.m. shot struck the side of the W Hotel on Broadway near West 47th Street, the sources said.

Police on Saturday afternoon said they are still looking for two men in connection with the shooting– which became a source of ridicule from members of Keef’s rap group, Glo Gang.

“Why they shooting up in the air at the W [sign] when we on the ground?” mused Tadoe, whose real name is Darron Rose.

“I hope these n—-s got paid enough to do that s—t, man,” continued Tadoe, who called the assailants “f—-g clowns.’

A police source said the incident may have been the result of a beef Keef is having with a Brooklyn rapper.

Chief Keef, released his latest album The GloFiles (Pt. 2) last month, and boasts 4.7 million followers on Instagram.