It’s hard out here for a rapper these days — so says French Montana. Following the shooting of fellow Bronx native Lil Tjay — just the latest Hip Hop artist to be targeted by gun violence in recent years — the Coke Boys capo shared his thoughts on the incident during a brief chat with TMZ on Wednesday (June 22).
“I know he’s been rushed in from one hospital to another, so I pray for his family,” he began while handling business in New York City. “I haven’t spoken to him. I heard he’s in critical condition. It’s a bad situation.”
French — who’s collaborated with Tjay numerous times on tracks like “Slide” and “Bag Season” — then claimed being a rapper is “the hardest job” right now due to them having targets on their back.
“It’s hard out here for rappers, man,” he continued. “We got the hardest job. You don’t know where it comes from, man. We think that everybody love us but everybody don’t love us.”
Lil Tjay was shot multiple times during an attempted armed robbery at a shopping plaza in Edgewater, New Jersey in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The 21-year-old rapper underwent emergency surgery and is reportedly on the mend, although he remains in hospital.
Police have arrested 27-year-old Mohamed Konate in connection to the shooting, charging him with three counts of first-degree attempted murder. Two men who were with Tjay at the time — one of whom was also shot — have also been arrested on weapons possession charges.
Wu-Tang Clan Legend RZA Laments Nonstop Rap Murders: 'Hip Hop Has Become One-Sided'
Tjay’s shooting adds to an alarming trend of rappers falling victim to gun violence in recent years following the shooting deaths of Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, XXXTENTACION, Young Dolph, King Von, Trouble, TDott Woo and Slim 400. Drakeo The Ruler was fatally stabbed at a festival in his native L.A. last December.
It isn’t just street violence that rappers have to contend with, though. Young Thug and Gunna currently sit behind bars after being hit with RICO charges stemming from their YSL indictment, while A$AP Rocky, NBA YoungBoy and Fetty Wap have been at the center of high-profile criminal cases.
Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA echoed French Montana’s sentiment in an interview with the Financial Times in February. “Growing up in the golden age of Hip Hop, we lost maybe like a couple of artists but not a dozen artists or more,” he lamented. “Sometimes Hip Hop music glamorizes certain things. It glamorizes prison life, it glamorizes gangsters and thugs. I understand that, because I grew out of that.
“But it doesn’t give you the total tragedy of what that can end up being, nor are we being represented with a lot of alternatives. The point being made is there was more bounce, there was more substance. Hip Hop has become one-sided.”
On a more positive note, French Montana is currently gearing up to release his new album Montega produced by longtime collaborator Harry Fraud on Friday (June 24). Boasting appearances from the likes of Jadakiss, Benny The Butcher and Babyface Ray, the project has been hailed by French as “rap album of the year.”
French Montana is mentally retarded so his opinion doesn’t count really.
harry fraud on the track you got a winner.
No, it’s still Stench Montana so it’s still a big lost for everyone.
Umm being a rapper is not a hard job. Y’all just do know when to stay out the way permanently. Rappers rapping about demon time but get scared when Demons come knocking and do them dirty. Wiz Khalifa raps about weed and Bitches and he seems to have no problems being a rapper.
This narrative is tiring.. it’s gangster/drill rappers having this problem and it’s due to what they’re rapping about. Guys like J.Cole, Tyler the Creator, etc don’t seem to have these problems.
exactly – even street rappers with bars aren’t being targeted. it’s strictly these little drill gangsta dudes that come in the game strapped talking beef. however when dudes like j cole and tyler try to jump on trends by including some of these dudes in features that blurs the lines and ratchets up the score even more on the street
Retarded Moroccan who can’t speak English says HAAAAAAAHNNN??
The job is only hard if you make it that way. Don’t flaunt your money on social media. Don’t post your every whereabouts. Quit beefing and dissing the dead, etc. This is beyond common sense.
Dude just making excuses for constantly pumping out trash…
NOPE THIS ALBUM WAS SO GOOD WHAT ARE U BANGING ON ABOUT
90s was the height of violence its the safest time in human history when po lice stop carrying and those with bodyguards and armed security stop carrying then ill THINK about not carrying until then ef all the way off some dude in uk kilt 5 with a crossbow, they have pipl doin massacres with knives. poverty is the issue not guns
SUCH AN OVERRATED CATCHPHRASE. ITS JUST SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE UNEDUCATED PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
Truth. Rappers as a whole is one of the biggest group of idiots on the entire planet. Bunch of dumb adults acting like they’re 14.