Common Calls For A Stop To Chicago Gun, Gang Violence, 'Peace Summit' With Chief Keef

While the last year has seen an awful rash of gun violence in the US, no city has felt the impact of that harder than Chicago. The city has been ravaged by gang and gun violence and is pointed at as an example by both pro- and anti-gun camps. Rapper Common is calling for an end to all the violence and hopes to a start conversation with the city's rap de facto figurehead Chief Keef. The idea is to stop glorifying Chicago's violence to avoid further incidents.

Via the Associated Press:

"To decide to take someone's life, I don't think they let a rap song determine that," he said, adding that rap artists simply reflect of the violence of the streets, and don't cause it. At the same time, he said, fans of young rappers, whose music provides a window into a violent lifestyle, are "influenced by that energy and take it the wrong way." 

Common says he wants to have a "peace summit" with Drill music's biggest success story, in order to discuss ways to curb the rampant violence.

Common also called on rappers and artists to help fund educational programs in the city that will help keep kids out of trouble.