Cops enlist rappers to fight violence
May 25th, 2010 | By
Rap music videos are often filled with angry young men waving guns and spitting rhymes about how much they despise police.
And nobody would be too surprised these days to tune into the nightly news and see yet another hip-hop artist facing drug, gun, or even murder charges.
So, the thought of cops and rappers working together to make the city safer is sure to raise some eyebrows.
But Toronto Police are hopeful this unlikely pairing is what’s needed to get young people’s attention. They’ve enlisted the help of seven local rappers for public service announcements as part of this summer’s TAVIS initiative.
“The only way we’re going to stop someone from getting shot is by convincing the person holding the gun to put it down,” said Const. Scott Mills, the force’s social media relations officer. “These guys are definitely pieces to that puzzle.”
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Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons gave a speech in Queens, N.Y., recently to encourage youth gangs to stop the trend of violence that has occurred in the borough recently. Queens has seen a 20 percent increase in homicides, while New York City has seen a 23 percent increase. Simmons is part of a legion of individuals affiliated with hip-hop to speak out …