Wal-Mart's Chicago Push Gets Hip-Hop Backing (VIDEO)

Supporters of Wal-Mart's controversial bid to open a second Chicago store, at 83rd at Stewart in Chatham, now have starpower on their side.

Chicago hip-hop artist Rhymefest joined the pro Wal-Mart groups, Jobs or Else and the Walmart Community Action Network, at a City Hall protest last week calling for Aldermen to approve the new store. And because no good opportunity should go to waste, they made a video of the protest:

The City Council is set to vote July 29 on whether to allow Wal-Mart's bid to move forward.

Listen to Rhymefest explain his support for Wal-Mart to Chicago Public Radio's Natalie Moore.

Comments

[FilmCriticOne]

Maybe other businesses would open in South and West side -- if they weren't shot by crack heads, beat up by thugs, and robbed by punks.

[PuzzledinPeoria]

Shoppin' at Wal-Mart
There's nothin' fina
If you don't mind bling
that's made in China.

[thegreatdebater1]

WALMART IS WELCOME IN CHATHAM. I LIVE ON 84TH AND INDIANA IN CHATHAM. WALMART DOES HAVE INEXPENSIVE ITEMS, BUT SO DOES THE DOLLAR TREE AND "CORNER STORES." CORNER STORES ARE HAVENS FOR CRIMINALS AND SHOULD BE ELIMINATED. ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR CHILDREN TO GET KILLED IN FRONT OF A CORNER STORE. OUR DOLLARS ARE GOING TO NEARBY SUBURBS AND THAT IS NOT HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IN CHATHAM. ALSO, THIS WILL SAVE GAS MONEY THAT IS SPENT TO CONSTANTLY GO TO THE SUBURBS FOR CUSTOMER SRVICE NEEDS THAT ARE NOT TOTALLY BEING MET IN SOUTH SUBURB WALMARTS SUCH AS THE ONE IN RIVER OAKS MALL OR CHICAGO RIDGE MALL. WE NEED TO HAVE WALMART IN THE COMMUNITY ASAP AND CREATE JOBS FOR THOSE IN CHATHAM.

[jalowe1957]

All this leads me to this question: Given Wal-Mart's shoddy reputation for employment practices and putting small business on ice, just what exactly is Chicago's south side getting out of all of this?