After a violent attack that lead to the untimely demise of a Chicago teen, New York emcee, Nas [click to read], penned an open letter to youth within the community, urging the “young warriors” to stop the brutality against one another. On September 24, Derrion Albert, a sixteen year old honor roll student and faithful member of the church, was brutally beaten in what investigators called gang-related violence. Simply at the wrong place at the wrong time, Albert became victim to severe bludgeoning, beaten with planks of wood used for railroad tracks, as well as stomped on by his teenaged attackers. The Christian Fenger Academy student was pronounced dead later that evening at Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center. Earlier today, CNN [click here] reported that four suspects are currently being charged with first degree murder.
Bystanders who witnessed Albert being beaten recorded the grisly attack on a cell phone, and soon thereafter the video was broadcasted across the web and replayed numerous times on major television networks such as CNN and Fox. After hearing about the tragedy and viewing the wide spread and controversial video of the teen’s death, Nas was prompted to voice his opinion, sharing his thoughts and words of encouragement on Globalgrind.com.
“Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong wars! Killing each other is definitely played out. Being hurt from the lost of a love one was never cool.
Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong war! I know that feeling, that frustration with life and needing to take it out on someone, any one. But….
We chose the dumbest things to go the hardest for. I remember seeing deaths over 8 ball jackets, Fila sneakers, and name plate chains. Deaths over ‘he say, she say!!!!!’ ‘I’m from this block or I’m from that block,’ or ‘my moms n pops is f*cked up now the whole world gotta pay!!!’
I remember feeling like I was the hardest ‘n*gga’ breathing. And I couldn’t wait to prove it. But let’s think. What are we really proving?? And proving what to who?? Everybody knows Chicago breeds the strongest of the strong but I just feel, me, being ya brother from another state feels your pain as if I grew up with you in ya very own household.
You have the ability and mindpower to change they way we are looked at. Look who’s watching us young warriors, look who’s throwing us in jail constantly, look at the ignorance in the world. Look at the racist dogs who love to see us down. Loving to bury us in the ground or in jail where we continue this worthless war on one another.
Young warriors…. We are WASTING more and more time. We gotta get on our jobs and take over the world. Cuz this movie left the theaters years ago, Juice, Menace, Boys n the Hood , Blood n Blood Out, Belly!
When we see each other why do we see hatred? Why were we born in a storm, born soldiers, WARRIORS….and instead of building each other up we are at war with each other.. May the soul of this young person find peace with the almighty. I’m with you young warriors. You’re me and I’m you. But trust me! you are fighting the wrong war.
This sh*t sucks!!” -Nas
