Nineteen years ago, KRS-One, with help from emcees such as Stetsasonic, MC Lyte and Heavy D helped start the Stop The Violence Movement in response to a death after a fight during a Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy concert. The movement launched the seminal single “Self Destruction,” which featured prominent rappers from the east coast Hip Hop community of the day.
In the wake of slews of murders being associated with Hip Hop by the media, the Stop The Violence Movement is again moving to the forefront. Hakim Green of Channel Live is one of the leaders in this restoration of the movement. He recently told HipHopDX of his new single “Hip Hop Nation,” from his album A Revolution Televised which features a video announcing the return of Stop The Violence.
“KRS-One has re-initiated the Stop The Violence Movement this past fall. Myself and one of my partners Vanessa Chakour are the directors of the movement. I’m on the board, Dr. Cornel West is on the board, Rich Nice from Trackmasters and Daddy-O from Stetsasonic [are too],” Hakim said. “Our vision for this upcoming year is to focus on stopping the violence, and for people affected by the violence, to take refuge through our system. The official launch in on Dr. Martin Luther King‘s birthday, which is January 15. We’re gonna have a slew of events coming up this year to raise money and awareness about how we’re affected by violence.”
The emcee most remembered for his 1995 single “Mad Ism” from the gold-selling album Station Identification added the importance of this re-initiation now.”We have an illegal, unjust war goin’ on right now that’s taking a lot of our brothers and sisters to a foreign land to kill and be killed. I think that has a trickle effect with how we deal with issues here in America. Hip Hop has done so much, and it doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves in coming young black and Hispanic kids off of the streets and out of trouble.“
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These issues and stances will find their way onto Hakim‘s forthcoming album, which will uphold the Channel Live name. With an upcoming digital release in 2008, Green has also released his video [posted below] to reintroduce the movement and support his art.
