Veteran rapper KRS-One
has issued another statement to address the backlash concerning his comments regarding
the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States.
Despite a widely
read rebuttal
to his comments he made during a panel on politics for the New Yorker magazine,
outlets nationwide have re-published portions of the rapper’s comments,
labeling him “pro-Al Qaeda.”
“Let me be
clear and we can refer to the audiotape. At NO POINT during the panel discussion
did I EVER declare solidarity with Al Qaeda and for the Daily News to print
that is not only irresponsible…it’s dangerous!” KRS told AllHipHop.com
in a new statement.
For the second
time, the rapper emphasized that media outlets were taking his statements out
of context. He said he did not mean to disrespect any person or persons lost
or people who have lost loved ones in the tragic attacks.
“I apologize
to anyone I may have offended,” KRS said. “It was a terrible tragedy,
which still hurts many of us. My point was that we’ve been bombing other
people’s “world trade centers” for many years, and 9/11 could
have been a repercussion of that fact. It should have been a wake up call!”
Instead of focusing
on what actually happened that day, the rapper said more people need to examine
why the event happened in the first place.
“The towers
were chosen because they represented the financial pockets of white America,”
he said. “I DO NOT believe in killing innocent people for any reason,
I do NOT appreciate what happened on 9/11, but I also don’t appreciate
the hundreds of thousands of women and children who sit in hospitals or graves
in Iraq, Baghdad, Fallujah, and other cities in the Middle East and around the
world because of the bombs that Americans dropped on them in an attempt to kill
"terrorists". Is that anti American?”
In addition to
his groundbreaking work with the Stop the Violence Movement, which released
the classic Hip-Hop single, “Self Destruction,” KRS also spearheaded
H.E.A.L (Human Education Against Lives) and more recently, The Temple of Hip-Hop.
KRS said that he
has been traveling the United States on tour, where he finds many young people
from all walks of life that support his opinions on the war and United States’
foreign policies.
“Marines,
Israelis, Palestinians, army soldiers, Muslims, Black Americans, White Americans,
all find their expression in hip hop, and express full support.” KRS said.
“THEY, the Hip-hop community, didn’t take my words out of context,
because THEY understand how corrupted our society has become and that it’s
time to speak out. Right now, there are troops willing to risk court marshal
because they are refusing to fight since they have seen first hand the atrocities
of this war.”
KRS also
shot back at the Daily News’ report that he did not support the voter
registration drives that such luminaries as Russell Simmons, Sean “P.
Diddy” Combs, Dame Dash and others have staged.
“I think
all Hiphoppers should register to vote, this is why I commend the work of Citizen
Change and the Hip Hop Action Network,” KRS clarified. “I highly
commend Russell Simmons and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs for the work they
are doing. The reason I think they should register [voters], is so that we can
depend on a high voter turnout when we do in fact find someone who represents
us.”
And finally, he
addressed the Daily News’ comments that his career in the entertainment
industry was on a “downward spiral.”
“I am preparing
to release my forthcoming book, ‘The Gospel of Hiphop”, as well as a paperback
version of my previous highly acclaimed book, ‘Ruminations’ hitting stores next
month,” he revealed.
In addition to
next year’s 8th Annual Hiphop Appreciation Week (May 15th – 22nd
2005) and its theme “Freedom”, the rapper will participate in the
“World Hip-Hop Summit,” which takes place in Paris, France in April.
