Posted 04/29/2008 by Ozzie(SOHH)
In the wake of Friday's (April 25) verdict acquitting three New York City cops who shot and killed Sean Bell in 2006, Mississippi rapper/activist David Banner, Compton rep The Game and Queens bred lyricist Prodigy have all gone on the record to voice their outrage.
Not one to bite his tongue, Banner has been vocal in his speaking up for hip-hop, as with his stance against Al Sharpton's criticism of rap lyrics as well the mishandled Hurricane Katrina tragedy. Today, he gave SOHH an earful about what he sees as New York giving African-Americans the middle finger, and the "cowards" who allow it to continue.
In the wake of Friday's (April 25) verdict acquitting three New York City cops who shot and killed Sean Bell in 2006, Mississippi rapper/activist David Banner, Compton rep The Game and Queens bred lyricist Prodigy have all gone on the record to voice their outrage.
Not one to bite his tongue, Banner has been vocal in his speaking up for hip-hop, as with his stance against Al Sharpton's criticism of rap lyrics as well the mishandled Hurricane Katrina tragedy. Today, he gave SOHH an earful about what he sees as New York giving African-Americans the middle finger, and the "cowards" who allow it to continue.
"I was outraged but I've gotten to the point where I don't get mad anymore," Banner told SOHH exclusively. "I have to think logically. I think one of the problems with America is that we've adapted Bush's cowboy mentality to everything. With the Sean Bell situation New York is basically saying, 'f*ck n*ggas.'"
Banner was shocked that while the three officers were brought up on eight counts, not even one charge against the cops stuck.
"[They] shot Sean Bell 51* times and they got eight counts and you can't convict on one count," Banner said. "Not even endangerment? You shot 51 times homie!"
The rapper said "cowards" allow injustices to go unpunished and he counts himself amongst the lot.
"They know that we not gonna do sh*t," he said. "We ain't gonna do sh*t but beef amongst ourselves. Our generation is a bunch of cowards and they know that and that's including me. All of us, we cowards and if you're not a coward then do something about it.
"All these tough ass rappers, where they at now," he added. "Where are the football players? The basketball players? Where are our senators? Where are the other black cops that work with them cops that shot their children? They're cowards!"
West Coast rapper The Game took his frustrations into the studio and recently recorded the track "911 Is A Joke," which debuts tomorrow on ThisIzGame.com.
"This could have easily been me, my brother, my family," Game said via a press release. So this song is for Sean Bell from my heart. My deepest condolences go out to his family and wife Nicole Bell."
"The NYPD is just a branch of corruption connected to a giant corrupt tree called the United States government," Prodigy of Mobb Deep said via a press release. "Right now we have a government that controls the people, instead of people that control their government. Until we can do that, there'll be several more incidents like the murder of Sean Bell."
And until then, Banner said he has reason to fear.
"It pisses me off, I'm hurt and to a certain degree I'm scared, too," Banner said. "I got to be enough of a man to say that." Sohh
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