Mac Minister

Mac Dre

 

Preventing A Rap War
Monday - November 8, 2004
 by

Alonzo Washington


The untimely death of Mac Dre last week has kicked off a flood of rumors about a West Coast/Midwest rap war. Fans, media and Internet chat rooms are really creating urban legions around the death of the underground rap star.

I find this to be very dangerous because the much hyped East Coast vs. West Coast rap feud led to many unnecessary shootings and murders in the inner-cities of California and New York. The most famous rappers say that a rap war never existed between the two coasts. However, we still lost two of our most talented rappers to this myth - Tupac and Biggie are dead behind something that didn't exist.

I am an African American comic book creator and activist, who have been trying to stop the carnage and bloodshed behind the shootings and murders in the inner-city of our country. I forced Kansas City's number one hip hop and R&B radio station (KPRS-Hot 103 JAMZ) to play PSA's asking the Black community to stop the violence. The potential for unnecessary homicides to occur around Mac Dre's death is dangerously high.

Andre Hicks, also known as Mac Dr, is the second rapper to be killed in Kansas City this year. San Diego rapper Ramone C. Davis was also slain in the cold streets of Kansas City. Furthermore, a local K.C. rapper named Fat Tone was also shot at while leaving a local radio station in Kansas City, but was not hit. However, this fact has made many people say that Fat Tone had something to do with Mac Dre's murder. Adding the enormously high murder rate of Black on Black crime in California & Kansas City and you has a great recipe for senseless murders of African American rappers.

I say let's not repeat history. Let's stop the rumors and deal with the facts of the case. Mac Dre was murdered and many people know why. However, many members of Dre's crew won't come forward to give the police any information. The same thing happen with the murder cases of Tupac & Biggie Smalls and both murders remain unsolved today.

Many reporters and fans will fan the flames of this dangerous situation by speculating about the slaying. I am asking all the fans and media to be responsible and only deal with facts. This weekend I handed out flyers asking the community to report any information about Mac Dre to authorities. I also held a press conference asking the media to help prevent a rap war. That's why my boy, Jay Casteel of Ballerstatus.net, let me write this editorial. I don't want to see anyone killed over rumors.

Many of you reading this editorial think gangsta rap is cool. However, when it leaves the world of the record industry into reality - it is not cool at all. It's just death. I have held too many prayer vigils for murdered BLACK YOUNG MEN. I would hate to do more over these rumors. To the crew of Mac Dre, I say if you know something report it today. If you don't, future murders could be on your hands. For all the other hip-hop fans that hear something don't hesitate to contact the authorities.

To report information about Mac Dre's murder call: (816) 474-TIPS. California rappers should feel safe in Kansas City and Kansas City Rappers should feels safe in California. I don't want to see future KC or California rap stars like: Tech Nine, Hobo Tone, etc., get hurt or killed behind gossip. Increase the peace in hip-hop.

 

 

 

Fat Tone

Rap War Or Rumor??
Monday - May 30, 2005
by
Alonzo Washington

 

I predicted various shootings and homicides would take place, if facts about Mac Dre's murder in Kansas City did not come to light right here on the BallerStatus website November of last year (see "Preventing A Rap War"). Hip-hop websites and magazines ran my commentary every where. I was hoping it would prevent a Midwest/West Coast hip-hop war. I knew that those who knew what was going on with Mac Dre's murder would not work with the police to solve the case, and rumors and hype could take over. The hype I'm talking about is a Midwest/West Coast rap war that is currently happening. If you don't know by now, Fat Tone was killed in Las Vegas (see "Kansas City Rapper Fat Tone Murdered In Las Vegas") and a close associate of Mac Dre's is a suspect (Mac Minister) (see "Police Seek Rapper Mac Minister In Fat Tone Murder"). Right after Fat Tone's slaying, four people were shot on a Kansas City highway in their cars like Mac Dre & Fat Tone. Rumors say it was pay back for Fat Tone's murder. I appeared on a national television show (The Larry Elder Show) last year to challenge Kansas City rappers about their negative image of African American young men that they promote. Although, Fat Tone had appeared on the show before, he would not come on the show to debate me. However, his partner (Large Pad) appeared on the show. I warned him and Fat Tone that their words are powerful, and if you promote violence, you can die by it. It is so sad that my prophecy came true. San Diego rapper Ramone C. Davis was slain in Kansas City like Mac Dre, and now Fat Tone has been killed as well. Now, we must step back and try to stop the violence and killings. I have been overloaded with Las Vegas and Kansas City press asking me about this case. They all want to know how I predicted it. I don't care about the prediction; I want to prevent more rappers from being killed by rumors or by a rap war. I will soon record a PSA for the R&B/Hip-Hop radio station (KPRS) in Kansas City asking people to stop the rumors & violence. Hip-hip fans need not to fan the flames of these shootings and killings. If anyone out there knows what is going on, please report it to the police so that the killings can be stopped. Think about it; sometimes gangsta rap is like Klu Klux Klan literature. It calls every black person ni--ers; it defines black women as bitches and hoes, and it promotes the death of black men. I know that the hip-hop community can rise above that message. We need to stop the rumors, the hip-hop war, and the killings. I challenge the radio stations in Las Vegas and California to play PSA's calling for the war to stop. I believe that the hip-hop magazines and websites should do the same. The fans should also try to down play this madness. I am an activist and comic book creator, who is fed up of watching black people die for nothing. Being shot or killed is not cool to me. Living is cool to me. Let's all try to increase the peace in hip-hop.v