I’m not even the biggest 21 Savage fan, but people need to chill on him.
On Monday morning, the Atlanta rapper posted a tweet calling on his city to put an end to gun violence writing, “Atlanta We Have To Do Better Put The F****** Guns Down !!!!!”
Now, that’s sentiment that most of us would or should agree with right?
While many of 21’s fans did agree with him, some decided to take the opportunity to call out the rapper and say he’s a hypocrite for trying to put an end to gun violence but glamorizing firearms in his lyrics.
Multiple users commented on his tweet saying things like “STOP GLAMORIZING GUNS IN YOUR RAPS AND THEN TELLING PEOPLE TO PUT THE GUNS DOWN” and “Niggas host one community outreach event and turn into MLK.”
One comment, in particular, caught 21’s attention. A user tweeted “Spin the block twice like it ain’t nowhere to park,” a line from the rapper’s verse on “Jimmy Cooks” alongside a gif expressing confusion.
In response, 21 wrote, “A Song Is For Entertainment It’s Not An Instruction Manual On How To Live Life In Real Life I Give Away A lot Of Money And Spread Financial Literacy To My Community Stop Trying To Make Me 1 Dimensional.”
I second all of 21 Savage’s emotions on this topic. I’m not sure what it is, but people love to blame rappers and their music for the gun violence that goes on in communities across America.
Why don’t we feel the same about other forms of entertainment?
I used to always wonder why my parents would let me watch violent and mature movies, but would not let me listen to a Gucci Mane or T.I. song because their music was too explicit.
Have you ever heard people blame Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorcese’s movies for the violence that goes on in America? Why, because their movies are used as a creative outlet to tell a story, whether it’s based on a true story or not.
I feel the same way about rap music. Yes, rap can sometimes be shallow, violent and misogynistic. But just like movies, it’s a form of art and expression. For many talented artists, their music is used as a creative outlet or reflection of what they’ve gone through.
21 Savage grew up in an area where he saw a lot of violence, maybe he participated in it. Now that he’s out of that life, he raps about the things he witnessed and fans listen for entertainment. If listeners cannot separate entertainment from reality, then that’s their fault, not the artists.