The Jena 6 controversy has died down a little bit, but the hip-hop community continues to rally for them, and it's not led by a black political figure, it's led by rapper Mos Def.

According to the Associated Press, the rapper sent out a viral video last week, urging students to walk out of classrooms nationwide this week in protest of the prosecution of six black teens -- initially charged with attempted murder -- in the beating a white classmate in Jena, Louisiana.

Although Mos Def may be the one leading the charge, others are participating to. When he traveled to Jena for a march on the town last month, he was joined by Texas rapper Bun B, who drove down to support, as well as Lyfe Jennings.

During the day of the original rally on September 20, Mos Def expressed his anger that other hip-hop stars did not make the trek to Jena in support of the Jena 6. "Shame on everybody who's not here," Mos Def told the MTV.

Since then, rappers like Ice Cube and T.I. have lent financial support for other protests.

The Jena 6 situation has definitely struck a chord within the hip-hop community. Even young rappers like Soulja Boy, who can't believe the treatment the 6 are getting.

"Right now with the situation going on with Jena Six, I got to pay my respects to them. When I was in high school there was a lot of fighting going on; I ain't never really seen nobody get the type of punishment they got, where the dude is trying to throw the book at them," 17-year-old Soulja Boy told the AP. "I feel like that's not right, so I gotta send my respects out to those young dudes, and I hope everything go well with them and their families."

The students, known as the Jena Six, where initially charged with attempted second-degree murder for allegedly beating a white student bloody and unconscious, following months of mounting racial tensions after three white students hung nooses from a tree on school grounds. The charges were reduced for four of the six, but one of them was booked as a juvenile on sealed charges.

Mychal Bell was convicted on a reduced charge of aggravated second-degree battery by an all-white jury and faced up to 22 years in prison, but an appeals court later threw out the conviction, because he was 16 at the time of the crime and felt he shouldn't be tried as an adult. He was jailed for months while the case worked its way through the legal system. He was freed on bail just last month.

The case grabbed national attention, prompting thousands to protest around the nation, including civil rights activists such as Jesse Jackson.

In addition to rappers, musicians such as David Bowie donated to the teens' defense fund, and rocker John Mellencamp has even written a song about it.

But the hip-hop community has been the most vocal about the situation.

The walkout that Mos Def endorsed was planned and executed as a collaborative effort between rappers Talib Kweli, M1 of Dead Prez, Common and the activist groups the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Sankofa Community Empowerment, Change the Game and the National Hip Hop Political Convention.

"We will continue with these acts of civil protest until Mychal Bell's freedom, not only -- but safety, is secured," Mos Def had said in a video last month publicizing the walkout.