By shelz. 

This piece is not about Derrion Albert.  It’s really not about Nas either.  It’s about blame.  It’s about how we spend more time pointing fingers at who should be responsible than figuring out what we can do to help.  It’s about the scape-goating of Hip-Hop, how slanted we are viewed as a culture, and how painting the entire culture with a broad brush of contempt makes things even worse.

Derrion Albert is the most recent entry in a long list of tragedies piling up not just in Chicago, but all over the country.  His death, while tragic, is not unique and we all know that.  The destructive behavior of our youth has sunk to abysmal levels despite all the rallies, prayers, and changes in sentencing we’ve participated in or watched for decades.  Those in the trenches know that any new idea, any new voice, any new anything that can change the hopeless tide of ruined young lives washing up both in cemeteries and penitentiaries should be welcomed because positive messages have been effectively muted. So why would anyone suggest that a helping hand be dismissed, especially if that “anyone” is watching from the sidelines?

I’ve read quite a few negative responses to Nas’ open letter to the young men in Chicago. The general sentiment is that through his lyrics, Nas has branded himself part of the problem and should not be incorporated into the solution. His detractors have decided that Hip-Hop may very well be the leading cause of death in urban America;  that it must put bullets in guns, crack in pipes and 2×4’s in the hands of gang members. Hence, Nas’ help in any way, shape, or form should be discharged with a big ole thanks, but no thanks.

Sigh…

I know that rap music comes with its own set of demons and a strong influence that steam rolls the impressionable.   I also know that more and more of us are starting to believe Oscar Wilde dropped a bomb of a truism when he said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Yes, some of these artists need to admit that the story they sell is fantasy.  It would be awesome to see a hardcore rapper stand up and say, “My name is rapper X and I am a studio gangsta.” However, Hip-Hop does not operate in some sort of urban vacuum and our warriors don’t exist in a Hip-Hop bubble.

There is issue upon issue to tackle when sorting out the cause of the plight of our next generation of black men.  Blaming it on Hip-Hop alone is shallow thinking and should be filed into your “moment of intellectual hiatus” files immediately. Smacking a helping hand and telling anyone who is willing to help in some way because you don’t appreciate what they have done with their career or their music is a self ego stroke that helps no one but yourself. Especially if you are doing so from behind your PC and not from ground zero.  As a matter of fact, any attempt to lessen the legions of folks who are rolling up their sleeves to repair and rebuild is just as much of a detriment to the cause as any rap record you can hold up as proof of Hip-Hop’s complicity.

I’m not going to preach and tell everyone they need to reach out in whatever way they can because we all know that too. What I will say though is that apathy sucks and turning away anyone who is willing to pitch in is foolish.  Accepting your portion of responsibility and doing something besides wagging your finger at those contributing to a solution even in a small way is ridiculous. Get up. Get out and do something because these kids need all the help they can get. Even from Nas.

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