The general response around the death of Michael Brown and the Ferguson protests from the hip-hop community was tepid. The few gestures made sparked little conversation on the issue, which perhaps shouldn’t be too surprising. Rappers are not often brought to the spotlight as public intellectuals unless it's to fit a specific narrative of black male ignorance or violence. Recently rappers Lil Boosie and Lil Moose, from Baton Rouge and Baltimore respectively, both saw their musical output turnedagainst them by the police. Even Killer Mike, a rapper of great political consciousness, was forced to explain the perceived threatening quality of his stage name when interviewed on CNN about Ferguson. The stigma of rap music and violence makes it hard to imagine there being a receptive ear to what performers might say about any issue, and particularly one where an assumptive shadow of black violence looms over Michael Brown’s death and the rapid escalation of law enforcement against the mostly black Ferguson protestors.
Early into the protests J. Cole and Young Jeezy both quietly went to Missouri to speak with people and both deliberately kept a low profile so as not make the moment about themselves. Though it would be nice to hear louder political support from the rap sphere around this issue, it is hard imagine if it’d help such matters. Many rappers speak to issues of police brutality and are often met with a deaf ear by those who’d rather berate performers for choice lyrics that speak to violence within the black communities. Though this could be a moment to raise one’s hands in solidarity and speak up, maybe this is a moment we’re all better off listening to those marching in the streets, whose hands remain up, instead of those paid to use a microphone to entertain.