Raheem DeVaughn collaborated with Styles P on “Trigger Man,” a response to the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman was acquitted July 13 of second degree murder and manslaughter in the case, which inspired DeVaughn and Styles P to speak out in song.
“The not-guilty verdict is a sad situation…not as Black people or White or Spanish or whatever–we need to look at ourselves as humans in the justice system and be fair to everyone,” Styles P says in an exclusive interview with HipHopDX.
On February 26, 2012, Martin was visiting his father Tracy Martin in Sanford, Florida and was shot and killed by Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch member who followed Martin and was later involved in a confrontation with Martin, according to reports. Zimmerman said during his trail the shooting was in was self-defense. Many believed that Martin was singled out and killed by Zimmerman for racial reasons. Martin was Black and Zimmerman is Hispanic.
“We’ll never really know what happened right before that fatal shot,” DeVaughn says in an exclusive interview with HipHopDX. “The expression on his face…when you look at the photos of the face of Trayvon…if you ever seen someone die, whether it’s terminally or tragically from a gunshot wound or what have you, it was a look of surprise in his face and in his eyes. His eyes were open. That says it all.”
“Equal rights is still not balanced out,” adds Styles P. “I think it’s interesting that he’s not guilty. A grown man had no business stalking a child. I mean, what did he do? Now his life’s taken. Especially me being a Black man that dealt with the justice system…to see someone that had spoken to police and the police told him not to pursue him and he still pursued Trayvon and you don’t know what he did with that child. If I was a person getting stalked and you have these thoughts going home and someone starts following me, there’s no telling how I’d react or what I would do. No one’s sayin’ it from that point of view. You have no right to stalk anyone. Police are there to protect the community, not regular citizens. You can’t call in and go react with your gun and go handle someone and act like police…He was doing what he wanted to do. He was beyond the law. It’s not cool for the justice system to allow that.”
During the aftermath of the verdict in the Zimmerman trial, President Obama said, “Are we doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence? How can we prevent future tragedies?”
DeVaughn shared his thoughts on the President’s questions. “I don’t know how we’ll prevent future tragedies,” DeVaughn says. “The laws need to be changed. There needs to be laws in place for children. As an artist, you gotta stand your ground. If you really wanna make a change, you have to affect the economy of the state of Florida. I think that’s what needs to happen. Artists and athletes out there started to take a stand and say they refuse to perform or play in out there.”
As a social activist, DeVaughn was arrested with philosopher Cornel West at an OccupyDC protest in 2011. He hopes “Trigger Man” will raise awareness and funds for the Martin family and its foundation. “I hope the family hears it,” he says. “I hope the world hears it. If people like it, buy it and raise money to donate to the Trayvon Martin foundation. I hope it inspires artists to speak out in their music for a conscious cause.”
“God bless the family,” Styles P adds of the Martins. “They’ve been very dignified and very peaceful. God bless ‘em.”
RELATED: George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty In Trayvon Martin Killing; Rappers Respond
MEOW!!!!
WOOF! WOOF!
Pika Pika!
zzzzzz…Anything for free publicity.
I hope this record is as good as that Marsha Ambrosuis “I’m Black” style P which was apparently band from radio
“it was a look of surprise in his face and in his eyes. His eyes were open. That says it all”
Was he supposed to be smiling? He didn’t know Zimmerman had a gun. Doesn’t change the fact he assaulted him. Styles P is a known drug dealer, who talks about shooting people on record all the time. It’s one thing to want change, but is he willing to change?
Now he’s a forensics and postmortem expert.
If Z would’ve said he had gun before anything else happened maybe T wouldn’t look surprised he woulda made home to his munchies. Unarmed and with weed in the system people do not start fights, at least the odds are slimmer.
DECLARES?
“Now he’s a forensics and postmortem expert”
I wear many hats.
All of that while you’re on the internet.
everybody needs to stop crying. Zimmerman had his day in court and came out not guilty.
I think it is so hypocritical for rappers to be like “Free (Insert Locked Up Friend)” then complain about a man going to court and getting let off of a murder charge. The same rappers who do not believe in “snitching” or helping the justice system prosecute murders.
People who are mad did not want Zimmerman to have his day in court, they wanted him guilty. They didnt get the verdict they wanted now they are mad.
Yeah, now imagine if any one of them was up on a murder charge.
If you were smart enough to educate yourself you would know who and why the the justice system is set up for and against.
Jail is a too common place in the black community.. but that give the right to fake wannabe cops to go around shooting black kids?
20 niggas battered me still couldn’t shatter me im only getting up splitting up your anatomy – Styles P top 5
This wouldn’t be so bad if FL didn’t give that black woman 20yrs for a warning shot (no one got hurt)to her abusive husband and faced the same prosecutor that took the dive against GZ using “stand your ground” as a defense also. I guess the racist white people will justify that too.
Two different cases. Move on.
Murder vs attempted murder black girl gets 20 for missing a shot, son of a judge kills and walks and faced same prosecutor. Fuck you mean move on?
Two different cases no shit. I thought they were co-d’s. foh
she didnt stand her ground, she got a gun and came after him and shot at him to scare him.
Yeah she got the gun and went in HER HOUSE and she had a restraining order on the guy with a history of domestic violence, but they tried HER which was the right thing to do but the other trial the victim was more on trial than the accused.
“All of that while you’re on the internet”
In life sport. Go recharge your Ipod while I make the world a better place.
you can’t even get a cosign on the internet what makes us think you’re getting them in life? lol at this goofball
Who gives a fuck what underground rappers think
^^ This clown doesn’t even know what an underground rapper is
“Murder vs attempted murder black girl gets 20 for missing a shot, son of a judge kills and walks”
Two different cases. Move on.
lol this guy is super lame
Nobody likes you here. You get shitted on everyday you comment. Your views and outlook on life are pathetic. Your worse than the trolls because you actually think that shit you type is true. Why do you keep coming back whiteboy? GO AWAY.
You wear your racism on your sleeve. Slap your parents for raising you to be this insecure and small minded.
Keep it G styles. You wouldnt care as much if Zimmerman was black and Trayvon was mixed. Nobody would give a fuck about this case. but if its a black person ”OH HELLLLLLLLLLL NOOOOO”. Get the fuck outta here. Listen Im from Cali. Ive seen spanish/black/white people get fucked up. get their g-ride stolen. Trayvon took photos of himself hojavascript:void(null)lding a gun..he was caught with burglary tools in school, been suspended multiple times. Sound like another wannabe thug out here.
“lol this guy is super lame”
You sound about as confident as Trayvon’s star witness.
“you can’t even get a cosign on the internet”
The internet isn’t real. You aren’t real. This conversation isn’t real. The fact I acknowledge your peasant existence makes me a great guy. Cosign that.
“Jail is a too common place in the black community.. but that give the right to fake wannabe cops to go around shooting black kids?”
Did Oscar Grant have the right to stand up and approach a transit cop in a threatening manner? To be clear, what happened was totally againsn’t procedure, but until the community starts accepting responsibility for what people do to help escalate these situations, they’ll keep happening and nothing will change. You blame the very cops you already hate. Even if they were on your side, you’d still hate them. Do you see the cycle here, or is it more fun to just walk around with blinders on?
All you need is the right defense and jury, it only takes one juror to say your not guilty in a murder case. Ask OJ about all that or another great case in Florida…the Caylee Anthony trial, If I did some off the wall ignorant shit and was on trial I would want it to be in Florida