"We rely on the streets we do battle in the hood, I was born in the G Code, embedded in my blood"

Damn have I lost a lot of respect for Busta Rhymes. I'm not even talking musically here but rather as a person and as a role model.

Now obviously hip-hop has evolved from the streets, which makes the vehement 'anti-snitching' mentality almost understandable. However, there are times when the determination to stick by some pseudo code of the streets creates more problems that it solves. Now the reason I call it a 'psuedo code' is not because it doesn't exist, but because when you're a platinum selling music artist, an actor and a role model; the fucking code shouldn't apply. Shit, nobody is denying where you came from or how far you've come, but for fucks sake live in the real world. You're not out hustling, you have millions in the bank, you make music and act, you live in a nice crib, you got kids, so get a reality check.

A man is dead and you clearly know something. Fuck the streets, fuck this no snitching shit. That man has a wife and kids who deserve to know how he died and by not co-operating, Busta is letting his killer walk around. I'm sure the standard argument will be "dude will get street justice" but fuck that. Is that how his kids should be bought up, seeing that as a way of solving problems.

Busta needs to get a fucking grip, if he knows something that is letting a killer walk around then fuck the streets, dude is a nobody. Hip-hop artists love to bring up the fact that Pac, Biggie, JMJ are all unsolved murders. The simple fact is that while this mentality survives, and incidents where a murder could possibily be solved with the co-operation of a hip-hop artist then this shit will go on.

So while I might respect Busta Rhymes as a musician, my level of respect for him as a person and as a role model to kids in the street is rapidly declining. This shit is bad for everyone involved, not least for hip-hop. Oh and Fuck Tony Yayo, if my level of respect for Busta is declining then my 'respect' for Yayo is in negative proportions because he clearly knows the dude.

If to you that means I'm not 'down' or that I don't understand street mentality or hip-hop culture, then fuck you, you're part of the problem.

Peace.


Tags - Hip Hop, Busta Rhymes