IT MUST BE STOPPED | Friday September 16TH, 2022 | Tiasia Newman
The first time I was under the sound of DJ Alamo’s voice he said to the crowd “The life expectancy of a rapper is one year”. This was a fact that has since become a severe understatement. In just 2022 alone at least 16 notable music artists have been murdered. This trend must stop immediately. How many artists will we lose before the next generation turns its back on the music industry completely?
It’s already hard enough for music artists to gain the support of their families to boot without them swearing they're gonna be gunned down outside the label after signing a deal. Growing up listening to hip hop you realize it’s crazy how much influence Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur still have today. Both men wrote and recited the stories of their deaths just before they occurred. Other music artists have also penned the same tune on a different piano.
There was a time when being a gang member and a drug dealer was the most dangerous occupation the streets had to offer. These days 16 bars will have your homies eight deep dressed to kill to leave you buried 6 feet. Jealousy, Envy, and Karma all wear the same size when purchased in bulk. Rep your set and pump poison on the streets or run-up in the studio to slaughter the beat you're still just a bullet away from eternal defeat.
This week artist PnB Rock was gunned down in cold blood. Not long ago he did an interview giving his outlook on the dangers of the streets of LA. He spoke extensively about a few run-ins he had already experienced even in the presence of his child. He referred to himself as a hard target because he was aware but not afraid. He took risks with his life to prove he was good anywhere. Pulled up to many hoods solo to earn respect on a block that never knew its value. But there’s no glory in being the hardest nigga in the graveyard.
Nipsey Hustle, Yung Doph, and more recently Pat Stay to name a few were all lost to violence without reason. I feel like the hip-hop industry and its fans are in a constant state of grieving. Each death, trust me, has an impact on the generations to come. Recall this story the next time you are in the club while Biggie tells you it was all a dream and you know it's true. Think about it late night when Poetic justice plays on BET and you start feeling Lucky. Live your life, “Hustle and Motivate” in the name of Nip. Be the change you wanna see in the world. Remember Darling the show must go on and in good fashion.
With love, Mutha
Edge, Elegance and Creativity...weather it be designing pieces or words, the work speaks for itself! Giving her take on compelling topics Mutha doesn't play! Follow @4_U_2_luv
Tiasia Newman