S. Samuel
G-Unit head 50 Cent has weighed in on the perceived connection between hip-hop and gun violence, in particular, why his tunes should not be cited for encouraging nationwide shootings.
In a sneak peek of Fif’s “CBS Sunday Morning” interview, the rapper said he does not believe his music is influential enough to encourage widespread violence.
“No,” Fif said when asked if he thinks his music glorifies gun violence. “I think that the actual films, like, I’m flattered actually when they say that to me because it would mean that I’m so, I have such a strong hold on the youth or people in general that it completely changes their thought process — the music is that powerful. [Rap’s more than discussing guns and violence]. Yeah, it’s a lot more. It’s writing. If you were doing that and didn’t actually experience it, I would say you’re glorifying it. If you’re drawing from something from your actual experience, isn’t art imitating life?” (“CBS Sunday Morning”)
A couple months ago, Midwest rap veteran Tech N9ne downplayed music being what inspires youth negatively.
“Discipline starts at home. If your mom has guns like that in the basement, what the f*ck is your mom doing? Is she with the militia? You know those are [Adam Lanza‘s] mom’s guns right? I’ve got three [children]. I’ve got two 18-year-olds and I have a 13-year-old. When they were growing up I had them listening to Tech N9ne. I let them listen to Eminem. I talked to them about they problems at school, people, everything. Now, these kids being neglected. Why would Adam Lanza even know how to work these guns if his mom was paying attention?” (The Boom Box)
Mega producer Swizz Beatz recently shared a similar sentiment and said neglecting the youth can lead to violence.
“I think it’s bigger than him. Chief Keef is just a name people can relate to because he’s in the entertainment business. But, I think the real reason is the youth, period, with nowhere to go, no plans, and they’re just resorting to living however they want to live. You go to a different country and they don’t have no support, no food, it’s the same thing. It’s just that we’re knowing about it more because there’s a celebrity name involved, but I wouldn’t even put that on him. This has been going on for years. They shut down the whole Cabrini-Green a long time ago. This been happening. But the key thing is how is it going to stop happening? Is it arts? Is it music? That’s the thing to figure out.” (Global Grind)
A few days ago, Georgia teenagers fatally shot a 13-month-old baby in a botched robbery.
Two Georgia monsters Friday shot and killed a helpless baby for nothing as he sat in his stroller. The senseless point-blank execution came seconds after the killers — teenagers — shot and wounded the tot’s terrified mother in a botched robbery. “Do you want me to shoot your baby?” one of them said, before ending the 13-month-old boy’s life, police said. Little Antonio Santiago‘s mom Sherry West, although wounded, gave cops a detailed description of the teens — a 17- and 14-year-old — who were arrested Friday. West also gave a gut-wrenching account of what allegedly happened when the older boy pointed a gun at her. “I said, ‘No, don’t kill my baby!’ ” But he did anyway, she said. And West, who reportedly lost her 18-year-old son to senseless violence five years earlier, was left to bury another child — and to wonder why the teen with the gun wouldn’t believe her. (New York Daily News)
