I didnt see this posted up so I thought I would post it. Very good Article.
Innocent Bystander
By Anerae “X-Raided” Brown
June 21, 2010
Someone recently told me about some talk that I killed a “grandmother” and that’s what I’m in prison for. I have heard that for years and never rebutted it (until I made Eternally Unforgiven) out of fear of it being harmful to me legally or being considered disrespectful of the dead. But let’s talk about it.
First of all, I didn’t shoot anyone. I didn’t kill the victim in my case. A woman was killed but I did not intend for her to die and I don’t think the person who shot her could see anything but movement in the dark. It was pitch black, 2 o’clock in the morning. She was an innocent bystander. A victim of circumstances.
J-Dogg, Jerome McCoy, a member of the Garden Blocc Crips, was killed by members of the Meadowview Bloods. The woman who was shot was the mother of known members of the Meadowview Bloods. Word was going around that they had killed J-Dogg, true or not, and that there were Meadowview Bloods frequently hanging out around the house that turned out to be the victim’s residence. That’s why the house got hit. In the chaos, the victim was unintentionally shot when she unexpectedly turned a corner in the dark.
I would never shoot a woman, nevertheless someone’s mother, and I don’t advocate that. The media spun it as a “grandma” in order to enrage the community during the build up to our trial but the truth is that the home was known for having gang members out front hanging out. It was an innocent mistake, her being shot; no different than a stray bullet hitting the person on the corner during a drive-by shooting. It’s ignorant and very much irresponsible, but it happens. Tupac accidentally shot a little girl. 50 Cent rapped, “Spray ya mama crib and let your ass look for me,” and you enjoyed the song; yet I’m a monster because it really happened in my case? It’s hypocritical. You want your rappers to be “real,” but not that real. I agree. There is definitely a line but it either applies all the time or it doesn’t apply at all.
I didn’t kill anyone’s mother or grandmother but I do accept responsibility for my action that contributed to the circumstances of her death. In honor of that I speak honestly to people about the stupidity of gang life and do my best to encourage kids not to join gangs. My intentions to help our youth see the reality of gang life and it’s consequences have been applauded by many. The incident happened 18 years ago when I was 17 years old, so we’re talking more than half my life ago. I’ve matured and done the work to improve myself. That story is not being told. They quote my 19 year old songs advocating violence but don’t mention Unforgiven 2.5: Assisted Suicide, discouraging it. I am trying to change that.
God bless the dead. I’m far from a saint but certainly equally as far from some people’s opinion of me. Dig deeper.
Innocent Bystander
By Anerae “X-Raided” Brown
June 21, 2010
Someone recently told me about some talk that I killed a “grandmother” and that’s what I’m in prison for. I have heard that for years and never rebutted it (until I made Eternally Unforgiven) out of fear of it being harmful to me legally or being considered disrespectful of the dead. But let’s talk about it.
First of all, I didn’t shoot anyone. I didn’t kill the victim in my case. A woman was killed but I did not intend for her to die and I don’t think the person who shot her could see anything but movement in the dark. It was pitch black, 2 o’clock in the morning. She was an innocent bystander. A victim of circumstances.
J-Dogg, Jerome McCoy, a member of the Garden Blocc Crips, was killed by members of the Meadowview Bloods. The woman who was shot was the mother of known members of the Meadowview Bloods. Word was going around that they had killed J-Dogg, true or not, and that there were Meadowview Bloods frequently hanging out around the house that turned out to be the victim’s residence. That’s why the house got hit. In the chaos, the victim was unintentionally shot when she unexpectedly turned a corner in the dark.
I would never shoot a woman, nevertheless someone’s mother, and I don’t advocate that. The media spun it as a “grandma” in order to enrage the community during the build up to our trial but the truth is that the home was known for having gang members out front hanging out. It was an innocent mistake, her being shot; no different than a stray bullet hitting the person on the corner during a drive-by shooting. It’s ignorant and very much irresponsible, but it happens. Tupac accidentally shot a little girl. 50 Cent rapped, “Spray ya mama crib and let your ass look for me,” and you enjoyed the song; yet I’m a monster because it really happened in my case? It’s hypocritical. You want your rappers to be “real,” but not that real. I agree. There is definitely a line but it either applies all the time or it doesn’t apply at all.
I didn’t kill anyone’s mother or grandmother but I do accept responsibility for my action that contributed to the circumstances of her death. In honor of that I speak honestly to people about the stupidity of gang life and do my best to encourage kids not to join gangs. My intentions to help our youth see the reality of gang life and it’s consequences have been applauded by many. The incident happened 18 years ago when I was 17 years old, so we’re talking more than half my life ago. I’ve matured and done the work to improve myself. That story is not being told. They quote my 19 year old songs advocating violence but don’t mention Unforgiven 2.5: Assisted Suicide, discouraging it. I am trying to change that.
God bless the dead. I’m far from a saint but certainly equally as far from some people’s opinion of me. Dig deeper.
