Bobby Shmurda Explains Why He Can't Fight For Criminal Justice Reform With Meek Mill

BY Erika Marie 14.0K Views
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Bobby Shmurda
The rapper said he respects his fellow artists' hustle.

New York rapper Bobby Shmurda may be incarcerated, but that doesn't mean he's jumping on the bandwagon to fight for criminal justice reform the way other rappers have. The 24-year-old has had a number of run-ins with the law from his adolescence into his adulthood, but many believed that after he became a viral sensation, his troubles were behind him.

The young artist rose to fame with his hit "Hot N***a" which popularized the "Shmoney Dance," however, in 2014 Shmurda was arrested on felony weapons charges and months later, once again was in custody for conspiracy to commit murder, reckless endangerment, and drug and gun possession. In September 2016, Shmurda copped a plea and was convicted of third-degree conspiracy and one count of weapons possession. He was sentenced to seven years in prison but will only be expected to serve three-and-a-half, and his conditional release date is in late 2020.

The rapper recently spoke with Swaggy Sie on SiriusXM's Hip Hop Nation and was asked about whether or not he would link up with the likes of Meek Mill, Jay Z, and other artists in the rap game in their fight for both prison and criminal justice reform. "Like I tell people all the time, I respect what he's doing. I can't do it though," he said. "I can talk to the kids, but I ain't about to be sitting here protesting and politicking for no motherf*cking cops because them mtherf**kers don't care. They been killing motherf**kers since Rodney King."

"I tell people all the time, like a positive person I've seen, like Martin Luther King," Shmurda continued. "I love what Martin Luther King did. I respect him because I couldn't do it. Motherfuckers hitting him with rocks, doing all types of s**t, and he stayed positive. I can't do it, know what I mean? I'll come talk to the kids. That's about it. But I respect everything that they do."


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.