After Last Year's Brutal Attack On 30 Asian Students At Philadelphia Schools By African Americans. Rappers Freeway & Young Chris Get Involved To Stop The Violence "Who Better To Talk Than People Who G
Philadelphia (CNN) -- It's pretty clear from his hard-hitting lyrics that Philadelphia rapper Freeway is no stranger to street life.
He lost a cousin and close friend to gun violence. He's also had his own run-ins with the law, having served jail time for drug possession.
His experiences haven't left him jaded, though. When the devout Muslim heard about a violent uprising at South Philadelphia High School last year, he got involved.
"I'm from where they're from," said Freeway, whose real name is Leslie Pridgen. "I can talk about those experiences [on the street], but I am a businessman now. I wouldn't take nothing back. It's shaped me as a man."
On December 3, 2009, as many as 30 Asian immigrant students were attacked throughout the school day, several of whom were sent to the hospital.
Since then, Freeway has been working with nonviolence campaigns at several high schools in Philadelphia. In October, he traveled around the city aboard MTV's "Get Schooled" bus with Grammy winner Common and Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry fame. The goal was to inspire students to stay in school and raise awareness about staggering dropout rates.
Freeway, along with his fellow Philadelphia rapper Young Chris, will be performing Thursday at South Philly High.
"Who better to talk than people who grew up in Philly and did something positive with life? I was subject to the same things they were," said Freeway, who originally signed with Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, and is now with Rhymesayers Entertainment.
"I'm going to speak from the heart, but it's up to them to make the choice."
Who better to talk than people who grew up in Philly and did something positive with life?
Young Chris, born Christopher Riesm, said he was also "shocked and disappointed" when he heard about last year's incident at South Philly High. He says he's participating in the rally to encourage the students to keep the momentum.
"Whether we want to believe it or not, they look at us as mentors," he said.
The event is part of the Project Succeed Campaign unveiled by state Rep. Kenyatta Johnson, D-Philadelphia, in October.
Event organizers wanted a concert for the student rally but had concerns about booking rap artists.
Rhymes laced with drug and gang references, and verses peppered with the "n-word," left them skeptical, according to Johnson's spokeswoman, Shalimar Blakely.
They voiced their concerns with the managers for Freeway and Young Chris, and Blakely said she was encouraged not to hold all the lyrics against the performers.
"They may speak about violence and their experience in the streets, but this is what these kids relate to," Blakely said. "The reality is violence is not the thing to do. And they're coming to tell them that."
Source: CNN
Comment
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Comment by CALI IS ACTIVE on December 10, 2010 at 3:02pm -
ignorance repeats itself
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Comment by 9MMABOVEYOSURFACE on December 10, 2010 at 1:14pm -
if blk dont like azn's... i sugguest u stop putting that yaki #7 hair ur yo gf's hair and then takin her out to get some fried rice.... and cant forget... stop acting like you dont kno wat WU-TANG is...
1/2 a** niqqaz talkin bout they keepin it hunnet.
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Comment by WeGetit_Ent/Lil_E Productions on December 10, 2010 at 2:39am -
reverbnation.com/wegetitentlileproductions
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Comment by WeGetit_Ent/Lil_E Productions on December 10, 2010 at 2:39am
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reverbnation.com/wegetitentlileproductions
youtube.com/user/WeGetitEnt1?feature=mhum
MySpace.com/WeGetitEntertainment
Twitter.com/WeGetit_Ent
Facebook.com/WeGeTit.Ent
*************** WeGetit_Ent ************ LiL_E Productions **********
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Comment by WeGetit_Ent/Lil_E Productions on December 10, 2010 at 2:39am
-
reverbnation.com/wegetitentlileproductions
youtube.com/user/WeGetitEnt1?feature=mhum
MySpace.com/WeGetitEntertainment
Twitter.com/WeGetit_Ent
Facebook.com/WeGeTit.Ent
*************** WeGetit_Ent ************ LiL_E Productions **********
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Comment by bob on December 9, 2010 at 4:44pm -
f****** discrace.
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Comment by BuckDat on December 9, 2010 at 4:05pm -
@Ray
Thanks for the link to this article. http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/Asian-Students-Under-Assault.html
I can't believe the community has let this go on for so long. I have to wonder...if they weren't Asians and were Black kids being attacked simply for being Black, wouldn't this be considered hate crimes? At least I would hope so, especially on such a large scale. It sets a horrible example for ALL the kids involved. I have Asian AND Black in my family...what the hell would happen to my sister or my nephews if they went to that school, being mixed? Beat themselves up? Kids are messed up, man.
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Comment by A.T.N on December 9, 2010 at 3:23pm -
Good To See FreeWay Doing Sumthing
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Comment by GOTDAMN! on December 9, 2010 at 3:04pm -
THAT'S SOME B*******! SOME N***** IS JUST STUPID.
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Comment by NetGuruINC on December 9, 2010 at 1:54pm -
they better be lucky they asses aint get bruce lee'd, why black people always gotta gang up on somebody? damn, im ashamed of my own race
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