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Twista Speaks Out Against Chicago's Anti-Rap Billboards
After receiving criticism from a Chicago priest for his lyrical content, Twista is defending himself and his music.
A billboard campaign launched by Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church on Chicago's South Side has urged people to shun specific hip-hop artists because of their lyrics. The billboards which read "Stop Listening To Trash" target artists including 50 Cent, Ludacris, Fat Joe, Nelly, Lil' Wayne and Chi-Town favorite, Twista.
The Chicago rapper recently offered his thoughts about the anti-rap campaign via his column at RedEye, a publication of the Chicago Tribune.
"What people need to realize is that we're not forcing anyone to listen to our music, everyone that listens to it listens to it because they want to. We're rapping about what goes on in the streets of our cities today," Twista wrote yesterday (June 28). "The spots that these billboards went up at probably go through everything we rap about so the people there know what the music stands for."
Twista believes that rap music is being unfairly targeted.
"After Columbine and Virginia Tech why didn't rock music get accused as much? If the kids who were responsible for those shootings had listened to rap I think it would have been everywhere that they did, but since they listened to rock music it wasn't their music's fault?"
He also noted that the money used for the billboards could have been used in a more positive manner.
"People need to stop blaming music for the things that go wrong because it's the people doing things that are doing them and not the music. The money from those billboards could easily be going to help make the schools in Chicago better, which will help make the city better. People don't seem to want to help and solve the problem but just want to find things to blame for what is going on. I love the city and give back whenever I can. I've been a supporter of schools like the Choir Academy for years and think it's important to give back so that we can improve the city to get rid of some things that are going on."
In related news, Twista, who recently spoke exclusively to SOHH about his new album, will be releasing Adrenaline Rush 2007 on August 14. The disc will feature guest spots from Lil' Wayne, R. Kelly, Cee-Lo, Bone Thugs N Harmony and T-Pain, with beats from Pharrell, Kanye West and Jazze Pha among others.
Source: sohh.com
A billboard campaign launched by Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church on Chicago's South Side has urged people to shun specific hip-hop artists because of their lyrics. The billboards which read "Stop Listening To Trash" target artists including 50 Cent, Ludacris, Fat Joe, Nelly, Lil' Wayne and Chi-Town favorite, Twista.
The Chicago rapper recently offered his thoughts about the anti-rap campaign via his column at RedEye, a publication of the Chicago Tribune.
"What people need to realize is that we're not forcing anyone to listen to our music, everyone that listens to it listens to it because they want to. We're rapping about what goes on in the streets of our cities today," Twista wrote yesterday (June 28). "The spots that these billboards went up at probably go through everything we rap about so the people there know what the music stands for."
Twista believes that rap music is being unfairly targeted.
"After Columbine and Virginia Tech why didn't rock music get accused as much? If the kids who were responsible for those shootings had listened to rap I think it would have been everywhere that they did, but since they listened to rock music it wasn't their music's fault?"
He also noted that the money used for the billboards could have been used in a more positive manner.
"People need to stop blaming music for the things that go wrong because it's the people doing things that are doing them and not the music. The money from those billboards could easily be going to help make the schools in Chicago better, which will help make the city better. People don't seem to want to help and solve the problem but just want to find things to blame for what is going on. I love the city and give back whenever I can. I've been a supporter of schools like the Choir Academy for years and think it's important to give back so that we can improve the city to get rid of some things that are going on."
In related news, Twista, who recently spoke exclusively to SOHH about his new album, will be releasing Adrenaline Rush 2007 on August 14. The disc will feature guest spots from Lil' Wayne, R. Kelly, Cee-Lo, Bone Thugs N Harmony and T-Pain, with beats from Pharrell, Kanye West and Jazze Pha among others.
Source: sohh.com