Continuing the tired trend of gun violence at rap shows, shooting after a Nas concert near Denver, Colorado last night (June 19) resulted in three gunshot injuries, with rapper Schoolboy Q reportedly detained by police.
According to the Denver Post, the shooting took place in the parking lot of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre where Nas, Schoolboy Q and Flying Lotus played a show. In other words, some gangster shit took place at the same legendary, gorgeous Red Rocks where hippies enjoy the peaceful tranquility and incredible acoustics of a naturally-formed venue structure.
A spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the three gunshot victims were found in a car at 6th Avenue and Kalamath Street at about 11 p.m. by Denver police. All three were listed in stable condition at the hospital. The venue was shut down with no in or out privileges as cops searched cars and established details of the crimes.
While a number of pictures depict Schoolboy Q being detained by authorities, according to the Denver Post, no official arrests have been made in conjunction with the shooting.
While endless debates have transpired over the damnation of hip-hop culture for carrying a stigma of violence and glorified gangster-ism, with continued associated tragedy the fact remains that a genre with such murderous history continues to support ruinous cultural stereotypes and embolden the ignorant masses who would seek to dismiss the entirety of the art form as a breeding ground for criminality. A number of the world’s most prominent rappers are or have been self-proclaimed criminal masterminds, gunshot-riddled gangsters and/or drug dealers. As the hype narrative continues, as idolatry continues to blur the line between sales-and-ego-driven fantasy and reality, it’s hard to imagine that the tragic lessons we learned in 1996-1997, with the murders of two of history’s most masterful and celebrated rappers, have reached a new generation of insecure youth looking for a foothold of confidence and bravado within their culture.
To hell with “hate the game, not the player.” Hold the player accountable and everything changes. Insist that your heroes and cultural leaders demand more from their congregation onstage, on wax, and the game changes. Refuse to play into cheap stereotypes and thuggery, and watch the evolution of one of music’s most beautiful and dynamic art forms unfold. Let’s rise above this stupid bullshit once and for all, for everybody’s sake.
Photo: Karl Gehring (Twitter)
