Interest Piece: Nas Pleads With The Youth By Writing Open Letter To Derrion Albert's Killers

If you've been paying attention to the news or have casually surfed the interwbez lately than you definitely should have bumped into the story/horrific footage of the murder of Derrion Albert, the 16 year old Chicago Honor student who was beaten to death on the south side of the city on Thursday by fellow students, for....well, nothing....

It always pains me heavily to see the utterly unabridged and callous nature that sometimes takes place in this country among the young and confused, but this story hurt in a new kind of way. I can only imagine the sheer terror and anguish that Albert's family and friends are currently suffering and probably will continue to suffer for some time. What was behind the savage attack? Apparently at Derrion's school there was some sort of feud between cliques and that drama came to a head this past Thursday when he was on his way to a bus stop and a violent melee between the factions broke out. Albert was struck and knocked unconscious by what seemed like totally random attackers. When he tried to collect himself and trail away he was again struck, this time by a railroad tie. Then in a cold-blooded and horrific turn of events Albert had his head stomped on repeatedly. He died a short time later. In the ultimate addition of insult to injury a memorial for Derrion was burned down.

I would later on read the comments from Albert's grandfather and be moved to tears; "This thing that happened to him is so horrific that we just don't know what we're going to do. We lost a really dear friend in my grandson. He was a blessed child. I don't know where all this anger come from these people today. That's just too much anger for someone to have in their heart. All I can do is, I'm going to pray for these people, I'm going to to pray for forgiveness."

It seems that I'm not the only writer that this story had an effect on. Entertainer and MC Nas has chimed in with his take on the "anger" that occupied the attackers (now identified as Eric Carson, Eugene Riley, Silvanus Shannon, and Eugene Bailey) and this may just be the best piece of material Nasir has dropped in some time...He speaks on how many of the mis-guided youth are fighting "the wrong war" and that in fact this in-fighting behavior has been going on for some time now. He ain't lyin' about that at all, and his level headed gesture is appreciated and needed. We need to alert the youth that going against each other is only playing into the wrong hands. Nas taking the opportunity to speak on a social level is what we need from our entertainers and leaders. This year the city of Chicago has seen a rapid rise in violence among it's youth to the point of making news and it's high time that someone spoke on it in a real way. I applaud Nas for what he tried to do here.

R.I.P. Derrion Albert

-BIG D O





Nas's Open Letter:

Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong wars! Killing each other is definitely played out. Being hurt from the lost of a love one was never cool. Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong war! I know that feeling , that frustration with life and needing to take it out on someone, any one. But….

We chose the dumbest things to go the hardest for. I remember seeing deaths over 8 ball jackets, fila’s , and name plate chains. Deaths over “he say she say”!!!!! “I’m from This block or I’m from that block”, or “my moms n pops is f*cked up now the whole world gotta pay”!!!

I remember feeling like I was the hardest “n*gga” breathin. And I couldn’t wait to prove it. But let’s think. What r we really proving?? And proving what to who?? Everybody knows Chicago breeds the strongest of the strong but I just feel, me, being ya brother from another state feels your pain as if I grew up with you in ya very own household.

You have the ability and mind power to change they way we are looked at. Look who’s watching us young warriors, look who’s throwin us in jail constantly, look at the ignorance in the world. Look at the racist dogs who love to see us down. Lovin to bury us in the ground or in jail were we continue this worthless war on one another. Young warriors…. We are WASTING more and more time. We gotta get on our jobs and take over the world. Cuz This movie left the theaters years ago, Juice, Menace, boys n the hood , blood n blood out, Belly!

When we see each other why do we see hatred? Why were we born in a storm, born soldiers, WARRIORS….and instead of building each other up we are at war with each other.. May the soul of this young person find peace with the almighty. I’m with you young warriors. You’re me and I’m you. But trust me! you are fighting the wrong war.

-Nas