Earlier this week, Cam’ron Giles
was on 60 Minutes for a special with Anderson
Cooper on the “Stop Snitching”
phenomenon (see: Cam’ron Never Snitches).
During the interview Cam’ron
stated that even if he was neighbors with a known serial killer, he would only
move and never notify the authorities.
After a public outcry from the press and people within the hip hop
community, Cam issued this statement (through the 5W Public Relations firm)
to further explain his behavior and to apologize for comments made during the
special.
“In 2005, I was a victim of a violent
crime. I was shot multiple times without provocation by two armed men who
attempted to carjack my vehicle. Although I was a crime victim, I didn’t feel
like I could cooperate with the police investigation. Where I come from, once
word gets out that you’ve cooperated with the police that only makes you a
bigger target of criminal violence. That is a dark reality in so many
neighborhoods like mine across America. I’m not saying its right, but its
reality. And it’s not unfounded. There’s a harsh reality around violence and
criminal justice in our inner cities,” Cam’ron
said in the statement.
“But my experience in no way justifies
what I said. Looking back now, I can see how those comments could be viewed as
offensive, especially to those who have suffered their own personal tragedies
or to those who put their lives on the line to protect our citizens from crime.
Please understand that I was expressing my own personal frustration at my own
personal circumstances. I in no way was intending to be malicious or harmful. I
apologize deeply for this error in judgment.”
