Yesterday was definitely the most uplifting, inspiring and most powerful experiences I’ve ever had in my life. There was a “Stop the Violence” protest march that happened on Hunts Point and ended p on Longwood Avenue in front of the 41st Precinct. My friend tagged me on the post about it the days before it happened and I was honestly the most terrified I have ever been in my life. I was feeling so terrified about the march at first because these crooked ass cops out here are really no joke when it comes to their guns and of course, I thought of the worst case scenario but of course I was completely wrong and it’s just like what they say – what you’re mostly afraid of can possibly change your life if you be more open minded and that’s exactly what happened. The march started at 4 but of course, I didn’t leave my house until 5 because it takes me a while to get ready but anyways, I walked all the way to Hunts Point with an open mind, a half frozen bottle of water, and a positive and fearless attitude. I finally get to Hunts Point and I see a crowd of people standing around with picket signs, camera people and a couple of NYPD vans. I finally caught up with the crowd and see a couple of my homies in the crowd, including my close friend who told me about the march in the first place and another good friend from high school too. We embrace one another, ask each other how we’ve been and stuff and of course as usual, everybody is good and then we continue walking. As we’re walking we’re chanting “What do we want!? JUSTICE! When do we want it!? NOW!” and “If your mama don’t get it!? SHUT IT DOWN!” and all other kinds of chants that was led by this powerful guy who goes by the name of Rodstarz whose one half of the political conscious and raw hip hop group hailed from Chicago named Rebel Diaz. I knew these guys about 4 or 5 years now and they’re always active in their communities by spreading knowledge and positivity through hip hop shows and protests like this one. To be around these guys is always a pleasure because I someday hope to be a hip hop artist just like them. Their brave and bold spirit to attack issues in our communities without any apologies is always so amazing to me. We ended up at the 41st precinct on Longwood Avenue, right up the street from the 6 train station and the BX19 bus stop. Rod is on the mic still preaching in front of the cops who happened to be standing around outside the precinct about what kind of injustices are going on around the world and what kind of impact they’re having on both Black and Latin communities all over America. He continued by having everyone grieve the ones who were wrongfully murdered by police brutality, calling out their names, saying “I can’t breathe!” 11 times in honor of Eric Gardner, and then after all that, they played both classic hip hop records “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy and “Sound of Da Police” by KRS-One out loud on this huge speaker. The march was pretty much over and everyone went their separate ways but when I left with 2 of my high school friends, we spent the rest of the day just talking about the march and reflecting on it. I have never felt so empowered in my life. It gave me a totally different and larger perspective on things and it even gave me creative ideas for music and image way in the future when it comes my time to finally make music. I could definitely use that experience and the social injustices that’s going on in America in my music someday, just like Kendrick Lamar, Public Enemy, KRS-One, Beyoncé and even the X-Clan.
Written by JAY-DOGGZ