After experiencing a life-threatening robbery at gun point in September in Chicago, Illinois, Rhymefest has decided to take action against violence in the city.
The Grammy Award winning rapper led a free public vigil for victims of gun violence in Chicago on Sunday. Prior to the event, the former Kanye West-affiliate appeared on Friday’s episode of “Windy City LIVE” to share his efforts to forge a better union with local residents to combat gun violence.
“We have too many walls in Chicago and not enough bridges. It’s time that we start being solution based in areas other than just the south and the west sides of Chicago,” he said on the daytime talk show. “Because all of Chicago is suffering from trauma. And I’m talking about people on the Gold coast, people on Michigan Avenue is not reconciled, so they build walls. And we’re not working as one Chicago.”
In addition to leading Sunday’s vigil, Rhymefest is also initiating citywide therapy sessions for Chicago residents through his “Truth & Reconciliation” event series. Although he’s raising awareness on local social issues in the city, he’s still reluctant to label himself as an “advocate.”
“I don’t like the word activist for me, because advocate says I’m advocating on behalf of a community or someone else,” he said.
“I don’t think people need to be advocated for, I think people need to be given agency over themselves. If we can use ― as artists, entertainers, athlete, media people ― if we can use our platform to help people give agency over our own lives, that’s great. But to set ourselves up as the advocate for someone else really continues to set them up for failure.”
Check out more of Rhymefest’s “Windy City LIVE” interview in the clip above.
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