(AllHipHop News) Notoriously outspoken emcee Lupe Fiasco used his Twitter account on Sunday to speak out against violent content in the media and rap music in particular.
In a series of tweets that were posted over a 20 minute span, Lupe argues that there is a definite connection between violence in music and violence in the real world.
Violent music (and all violent media) effectively says its “ok” to be violent. It provides positive reinforcement for negative actions.
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
He goes on to call out rappers who he feels uses violent imagery in their music and says they need to take responsibility for the content they produce and its effects on the public.
If you rap and make violent music then own up to it. Stop hiding behind “art imitating life” as a way to evade the guilt.
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
Ive made violent music. Done violent things. Most my friends are violent. Lived in violent neighbors. Seen violence first hand.
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
A certain point you start to get tired of it. You ask why? why is it like this? what is causing this? why is this ok to live like this?
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
This latest social media lament by the Chicago native appeared to be sparked as a reaction to the ongoing violence playing out in his hometown as well as a news story about the killing of an infant in Georgia.
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yeah I got issues. My hood aint been safe in 25 years! At the point now u can die for nothing. just random death and disregard. tired of it
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
Then you turn on the news and see that a 12 month old got shot in the face by two teenagers in Georgia for no reason at all.
— Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) March 24, 2013
This is not the first time the “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free)” rapper has shared his belief that there is a connection between the violence in music and the violence in the streets.
Last year during an interview with 92Q in Baltimore, Lupe spoke on fellow Chicago rapper Chief Keef and his brand of rap music.
“Chief Keef scares me. Not him specifically, but just the culture that he represents,” said Lupe. “When you’re at high schools speaking to students, telling ‘em how to survive the summer and you turn on the radio and you hear that? You like, ‘Aw nah.’”
Those comments set off a twitter beef between the two rap stars (though Keef later said his account was hacked), and Lupe even contemplated leaving the rap game all together. Eventually Lupe apologized for his remarks.
Lupe concluded his twitter manifesto yesterday by retweeting over 50 reactions to his statements, and then he touched on the comparison to violence in today’s entertainment to the violence depicted in Shakespearean plays.
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