Mass incarceration is an evil plague in America that continues to destroy the lives of millions of its citizens, particularly in the black and Latino communities. Tragic stories like the case of Kalief Browder happen every day in the Divided States of America.
READ: Bobby Shmurda Calls Meek Mill From Jail And Spits A Freestyle
Though our fight to bring awareness to the evils of our criminal justice system seems like an impossible one to win, VIBE won’t let our brothers and sisters in prison be forgotten. In hip-hop, serving time behind bars oft becomes one of the biggest detriments in the lives of rap’s youngest and brightest stars. Rappers like Kodak Black, Meek Mill and Bobby Shmurda all fell victim to the U.S. prison system during key times in their careers. Concrete walls may be able to trap their bodies, but hip-hop is made up of resilient individuals, and the minds of these young creatives can never be contained.
With some clever editing, a new viral video from some determined prisoners is making the rounds on Instagram. As you watch the video, remember that the men in this video are all human beings with families, feelings, and much positivity to spread to the world.
READ: XXXTentacion Calls Out Drake After Being Released From Jail
Even with limited resources in the penal system, rappers have found ingenious ways to record music and even shoot their own videos. Granted, many of these music videos are filmed with smuggled smartphones—behavior we can’t condone—but it’s their sheer passion and desire to be heard that we cannot ignore. We’ve watched many crudely shot prison flicks in the past, but 2017 has ushered in a wave of cinema from behind the G-Wall.