Public Enemy legend Chuck D says Hip-Hop needs to do more to address senseless gun violence in the wake of Migos rapper Takeoff being gunned down in Houston.
The fatal shooting sent shockwaves through the industry as fans and peers shared their grief over the rapper’s tragic passing. According to Chuck D, such loss has become “normalized,” despite being “abnormal behavior.”
During an interview with TMZ on Tuesday (Nov. 1) the rap icon said hip-Hop has ignored the problem of gun violence for “far too long,” adding that it’s “crazy how folks think it’s normal to lose rappers to gun violence.”
“It’s not normal behavior, it’s just not normal and what the circumstances in the United States of America is just dealing with abnormal situations that people think, you know, through culture, it’s been normalized over the years,” he said.
Chuck D continued, “It is a tragedy, and the pain is unbearable…The peace, unity, love aspect of Hip-Hop should be revered.”
He went on to say the “industry” is to blame for “normalizing” this sort of behavior.
“It’s a tragedy and I think that in any other walk of life it would have been addressed far earlier on how to prevent this before it became a thing that people thought is normal,” Chuck D said. “You have people who’ve grown up thinking that hip-hop death is a normal thing.”
Houston Police are asking for witnesses to come forward after Takeoff was fatally shot early Tuesday morning. He was attending a dice game at a bowling alley with his uncle and fellow Migos member Quavo when an altercation led to gunfire. The 28-year-old rapper was pronounced dead at the scene.
