Al Sharpton Says Hip-Hop Shouldn't Be Blamed For Takeoff's Death

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2022 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival
MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 07: Reverend Al Sharpton speaks during the 2022 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival for the screening of "Loudmouth" on August 07, 2022 in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for MVAAFF)
Rev. Al Sharpton says hip-hop shouldn't be blamed for gun violence.

The death of Takeoff sparked large discussions surrounding hip-hop and gun violence. Much of the dialogue surrounded whether hip-hop culture is to blame for the frequency of rappers dying at the hands of gun violence. Some have agreed that it is while others, like Reverend Al Sharpton, combated these claims.

TMZ caught up with Rev. Sharpton this week where he shared his thoughts on the Migos rapper's murder. He explained that the tragedy that occurred doesn't reflect hip-hop, but the larger issue of gun violence in America. In fact, he added that gun violence isn't exclusive to hip-hop.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 19: Rev. Al Sharpton gives an introduction during the "Loudmouth" screening at the 2022 Tribeca Festival at Village East Cinema on June 19, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

"First of all, no one has been more on the gun violence and saying that we need to deal with things in hip hop but I remember growing up, R&B artists used to into shootouts," he said. He said the violence isn't new. It's the rise in social media that amplifies these incidents.

"You have a lot of people in hip hop that are very responsible, that are very creative, that help their community," he continued. "We should not act like hip-hop is synonymous. Those that are violent, we ought to deal with. But a thug is a thug whether they're singing jazz, whether they're R&B, whether they're singing gospel. I know some preachers packing."

He added, "Let's not just make it just about hip-hop. Let's make it about people who aren't acting how they ought to act."

The Reverend's bottom line is that he hopes there's an awakening when it comes to gun violence following Takeoff's death. However, he doesn't believe it's right to stigmatize a whole group of people over this incident.

50 Cent echoed a similar sentiment regarding hip-hop and gun violence on the debut episode of Hip-Hop Homicides.

"Because of social media, everyone’s involved now,” 50 Cent explained. “Because those kids in middle America are clicking the fucking button to look and are fascinated with the killings because they’re living on a side so wild compared to the conservative lifestyle they’re having.”

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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