This section is dedicated to conversation about REAL issues that affect REAL people

Is it Felony Misrepresentation to rap without a criminal history???
by T Cole

The legendary Tupac stated years ago that he ‘never actually had a record until her made a record.’ Yet even after admitting that his ‘thug life’ was never really called into question. I mean part of being good at the street game is supposed to be the thrill of doing what you do without getting caught, right? Apparently that is not the case…

Rapper Rick Ross has recently has recently had his hood credibility called into question over his previous employment with the Florida Department of Corrections. The media and fans seem to take his ‘kingpin lyrics’ less seriously because he used to work in the prison system. Now Plies has found himself in a similar situation. HipHopDX reports that Plies (whose government name is Algernod Washington) has only had two arrests in his adult life, both in 2006; one for misdemeanor resisting an officer without violence and the other for the infamous night club shooting. There was no information available about his juvenile record, which may or may not have been ‘more impressive.’ Either way, just because he doesn’t have a criminal record on paper doesn’t mean he didn’t live the lifestyle. The issue is, maybe, that he claimed to have a criminal past. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t, maybe his criminal behavior got him into trouble outside of Florida. The real question for me is, does that make him any less talented??

Do we require a felony record from our entertainers these days? Do you have to have one to have street credibility as an artists? The bottomline is that some of the hardest most grimey guys I know have been slick enough to never have a real court case. That’s the name of the game where I’m from, staying below the radar and still living the life. What is it about the rap game that states you have to be a felon to mean what you say?? There are too many rappers, athletes, and entertainers who made it out the hood just to throw it all away trying to keep it too real- they wound up looking REAL stupid (and broke I might add).

A court case doesn’t make you hood for real. Besides just because you didn’t get caught doesn’t mean you didn’t do the deed… it just means you were lucky or smart enough not to get caught up… think about it. I applaud those who come from the hood and hard times and can walk away without a felony record, and still get money talking about it. Only in Urban America would we criticize people for NOT being criminals. Come on people.

Popularity: 1% [?]