Daddy-O of Stetsasonic is leading a sequel to 1989’s Stop The Violence Movement, including “Self Destruction Part 2,” the monumental song that featured 80s icon Public Enemy, MC Lyte, Just Ice, Stetasonic, KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions. Daddy-O’s call comes in the aftermath of the murder of JMJ, who was slain a week ago..
Hip-hop icon KRS-One orchestrated the original “Stop the Violence Movement” and “Self Destruction” 12-inch single.
He hopes to remove all negative nuances from rap names like “murder” and “crack.” Busta Rhymes & Chuck D have already signed on. “Jay’s death is unfortunate, but we have to move the culture forward. This is a pivotal time in the hip-hop nation,” Daddy-O said to AllHipHop.com.
“I’m saying, you guys have talked about crack enough. Crack does not have to be the thing that legitimizes you as a rapper. I don’t even know where it came from,” he said.
In a statement, Daddy-O outlined his demands in his hip-hop “APB.”
1. A worldwide invitation to record Self-Destruction 2.
2. A worldwide challenge to rappers, MC’s, or whatever they call themselves to remove and denounce the names murder, violence, and ANY reference to drug dealing from their stages names, company names and lyrics.
3. I’m naming names. ie; Fat Joe not Joey crack. Murder Inc. were Jewish gangsters from Brooklyn, not Ja Rule & Charlie Baltimore, etc.
4. When they find the idiot that [killed Jam Master Jay], I want to see his record collection, this will prove me right.
“We have to do as much as we can as hip-hop people as far as our longstanding tradition and represent as hip-hop people,” he said.
Daddy-O stated that the original “Self-Destruction” was a reaction to violence similar to the sequel he aims to spark.
“It was an accumulation of things, but it started to pile up and this kid had gotten stabbed and we needed to reach out and do something,” Deelite of Stetsasonic said. “Every generation has its opportunity to make an impact in there generation and at that time, it was our moment to really make an impact and show the world – and defend the music – to let them know that its here and its here to stay.”
While peace isn’t a popular notion in hip-hop lyrics these days, both Daddy-O and Deelite were positive about getting some of rap’s multi-platinum stars on the updated version of the classic song.
“That’s the idea [to get big names on the song]. The project is there – you wanna be down, you can be down just find a way,” Deeite said. “Like LL Cool J was there on the recording of Self Destruction. He wrote Lyte’s rhyme.”
Chiming in, Daddy-O said, “LL wrote Lyte’s rhyme because she wrote a rhyme that was corny and LL said ‘Don’t nobody want to do that. Here’s how you do that. Gimme a pen’”
“But the point is, LL was there and that same thing goes for Jay-Z and all them. We have the platform now. We here to have fun but we are here to tell the others side – the real side. People come up to me all the time, ‘like I remember that show, I remember you.’”
Daddy-O said that he is going after specific rappers, out of love, not hate.
“Don’t get it twisted, I’m still them dudes. I call them out, but its like I’m calling out my brother or calling out myself. I’m not Jill Scott. I’m not Stevie Wonder. I’m Jay-Z. Hell, I’m Ja Rule and don’t even want to be,” he said. “But I’m talking to that other part of myself that gets me locked up and then he says, ‘Why the hell did I slap that girl?”
“I think the next guy that goes to write a rhyme is going to think twice,” Daddy-O concluded.