Published: Monday - November 8, 2004
Words by Alonzo Washington
Mac Dre (Photo: Thizz Entertainment)
The untimely death of Mac Dre last week (see "Bay Area Rapper Mac Dre Gunned Down In Kansas City") has kicked off a flood of rumors about a West Coast/Midwest rap war. Fans, media and Internet chat rooms are really creating urban legions around the death of the underground rap star.
I find this to be very dangerous because the much hyped East Coast vs. West Coast rap feud led to many unnecessary shootings and murders in the inner-cities of California and New York. The most famous rappers say that a rap war never existed between the two coasts. However, we still lost two of our most talented rappers to this myth -- Tupac and Biggie are dead behind something that didn't exist.
I am an African American comic book creator and activist, who have been trying to stop the carnage and bloodshed behind the shootings and murders in the inner-city of our country. I forced Kansas City's number one hip-hop and R&B radio station (KPRS-Hot 103 JAMZ) to play PSA's asking the Black community to stop the violence. The potential for unnecessary homicides to occur around Mac Dre's death is dangerously high.
Andre Hicks, also known as Mac Dre, is the second rapper to be killed in Kansas City this year. San Diego rapper Ramone C. Davis was also slain in the cold streets of Kansas City. Furthermore, a local K.C. rapper named Fat Tone was also shot at while leaving a local radio station in Kansas City, but was not hit. However, this fact has made many people say that Fat Tone had something to do with Mac Dre's murder. Adding the enormously high murder rate of Black on Black crime in California and Kansas City and you have a great recipe for senseless murders of African American rappers.
I say let's not repeat history. Let's stop the rumors and deal with the facts of the case. Mac Dre was murdered and many people know why. However, many members of Dre's crew won't come forward to give the police any information. The same thing happen with the murder cases of Tupac and Biggie Smalls and both murders remain unsolved today.
Many reporters and fans will fan the flames of this dangerous situation by speculating about the slaying. I am asking all the fans and media to be responsible and only deal with facts. This weekend I handed out flyers asking the community to report any information about Mac Dre to authorities. I also held a press conference asking the media to help prevent a rap war. That's why my boy, Jay Casteel of Ballerstatus.com, let me write this editorial. I don't want to see anyone killed over rumors.
Many of you reading this editorial think gangsta rap is cool. However, when it leaves the world of the record industry into reality -- it is not cool at all. It's just death. I have held too many prayer vigils for murdered BLACK YOUNG MEN. I would hate to do more over these rumors. To the crew of Mac Dre, I say if you know something, report it today. If you don't, future murders could be on your hands. For all the other hip-hop fans that hear something don't hesitate to contact the authorities.
To report information about Mac Dre's murder call: (816) 474-TIPS. California rappers should feel safe in Kansas City and Kansas City Rappers should feels safe in California. I don't want to see future KC or California rap stars like: Tech Nine, Hobo Tone, etc., get hurt or killed behind gossip. Increase the peace in hip-hop.
The views expressed inside this editorial aren't necessarily the views of BallerStatus.com or staff.
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