Chicago hip hop artists taking a stand against city violence

Well-known rap and R&B artists from Chicago's South and West Sides are coming together to stop the violence that they say has taken some of their own this year in Chicago.
Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood is the first stop of a musical tour like none other. The community is the first of six that will be visited by the hip-hop artists.

Instead of singing, the musicians will be listening to what they can do to assist the communities.

"Just this past year I've had three people that I've known, that's close to me, pass away due to violence," said Rawle Stewart, the manager of hip-hop artist Twista.

Stewart's friend, and manager of Chicago rapper Lil Durk, was killed in March. Stewart is using his connections and the artist's fan base to draw attention to the issue.

"You know someone once told me music is God's way of talking to his people and I just think we need to figure a way to use the music and the people behind it to point us in the right direction," Stewart said.

Stewart has named the movement "Voice of the Streetz".

When Chicago-born hip-hop artist Twista heard about his manager's idea, he was immediately on board.

In an exclusive interview, Twista told FOX 32, "Anytime a person has a positive sparkle, a spark in his head to do something to stop something that's bad happening, especially kids getting killed in the streets and people shooting and things like that, I mean, anything to stop something like that is a good time."

Many of the other artists participating have their own stories of how Chicago has changed since they grew up in the city.

West Side rap artist Stunt Taylor said, "What's going on now, was not going on when I was 16 and 15. We could ride the train and the bus. We could walk outside. We could walk to parties. We used to walk to parties. You need a car. People don't even want their kids playing outside their house."

Each participating artist is lending their special talents to bring Chicago back to what has made them so proud of representing their city when they sing to the world.

Dancer D Low said, "I hope that everybody can stop having so much hatred, so mad at each other. I just hope everybody can be a family. We can really change Chiraq back to Chicago."

Fifty-five people, including Stewart, attended the first meeting Wednesday in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.

The next meeting is taking place in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood with the date and time to still be determined.

Видео Chicago hip hop artists taking a stand against city violence канала Justin Jensen in Current Events