As Hip Hop mourns the death of rapper Takeoff, several celebrities have come forward to condemn “dangerous toxicity” and killing culture, which is running rampant in the Black and Hip Hop communities. Hear and read what actor LaKeith Stanfield, rap veteran Chuck D and more said about it inside…
Hip Hop is mourning the tragic death of rapper Takeoff, 1/3 of the Atlanta rap group Migos, after he was gunned down at a private party in Houston yesterday (Nov. 1st). Takeoff, whose full name was Kirshnik Khari Ball, was 28.
The Hip Hop community has been reeling from the news of Takeoff’s killing. Tons of tributes have been pouring in, sharing details about the unproblematic rapper who mainly kept to himself and minded his business. Everyone is shocked that something like this would happen to him due to his laid back nature. However, bullets don’t have a name and sadly, he was struck by a stray bullet that wasn’t meant for him.
We hear and read stories like this all the time—almost to the point where many of us are desensitized to it.
”Atlanta” actor LaKeith Stanfield took to social media to vent his frustration with “gangsta rap” and said if you are a rapper whose lyrics are filled with hate and murderous lyrics, it’s impossible for you to be “for Black.”
“If you are for gangsta rap you can’t also be for Black,” he wrote. “The dangerous toxicity associated with this glorified black serial killer and killed music, and imagery got people thinking it’s cool to hurt those that look like them and ONLY them,” he said.
“It’s ok to embrace the realities of life in the harder areas but let’s think about NOT holding up this behavior in our circles. Let’s make it cool to embrace life, travel, and learn new things! I know that scope of issues we have to contend with is much larger than just this and that we have a lot of work to do in many areas to restore our hearts and minds after centuries of persecution and manipulation, but we have to start somewhere.”
The 31-year-old said Black people have to start embracing one another and build each other up as a whole.
He continued: “At some level, we have to see our lives as valuable so that we think before we react and see another human when we look at a Human man. We must stop holding self-destructive shit up and embrace things that build us a whole so that we can lead the world in the direction of prosperity by example. Getting reckless now and again is part of who we are but for the most part…Turn that stupid shit off.”
See his post below:
And he’s right. The only way this is going to stop is if people start valuing another human’s LIFE and not be so quick to shoot a gun whenever you’re upset.
Legendary rapper Chuck D recently spoke out about gun violence. In an interview with TMZ, the Public Enemy rapper talked about his generation’s ability to focus its attention on reminding people that “music and art form is beautiful,” which he believes his predecessors failed to do.
”This is abnormal behavior,” Chuck D said about the gun violence epidemic that has claimed the lives of countless rappers in recent years. “It’s a tragedy, and the pain is unbearable,” he continued. “Hip-hop should be revered for its message of peace, unity, and love.”
He blamed the music industry for “normalizing” such behavior by absorbing Hip Hop culture.
”It would have been addressed much sooner in any other walk of life,” he said. “You have people who have grown up believing that Hip Hop death is the norm.”
Watch the clip below:
*If you’re unable to view the video above, click here.
Music exec Kevin Liles talked about Takeoff’s killing on Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club” and he shared his beliefs on Hip Hop’s role in the recent killings of black rappers. During the chat, he shared that he helped coach Quality Control honcho Pierre “Pee” Thomas to develop the Migos, who became one of the top groups in the country. Kevin said he thinks the killings are based on constant oppression, the fact that gun laws have not being passed, a lack of education, and more socioeconomic conditions. He said he has consumed more Hip Hop than most people, and he hasn’t killed anyone.
“It’s Black on Black crime because we were taught to be against each other. That’s not just Hip Hop. That’s what we’ve been taught in an oppressive country,” he said.
Kevin said guns, a lack of education, racism, and white supremacy are what kill.
“I don’t believe Hip Hop kills people. I believe people kill people,” he said.
Check it out at the 1:35-minute mark below:
Former “The Chi” star Jason Mitchell also touched on the subject about why “y’all” aren’t tired of seeing people getting killed. Watch his clip below:
Hmph.
The Quality Control Music family spoke out about the unfortunate death of Migos member Takeoff. QC honcho Pierre “Pee” Thomas revealed Takeoff was tragically killed by a stray bullet.
The Harris County Medical Examiner confirmed Takeoff’s primary cause of death as “penetrating gunshot wounds of head and torso into arm.” It appears the office has concluded its investigation and his body is ready for pickup for funeral services.
Sending prayers to Takeoff’s family during this unimaginable time.
Photo: DFree/Shutterstock
