Rapper C-Murder is hitting the ground running after an overturned prison conviction with a forthcoming DVD and album.
The DVD, titled The Movement, finds the artist (born Corey Miller) offering fans a peek into his current mind state as he gears up for the release of his first album in five years, Screamin’ 4 Vengeance
“I’ve been gone for a minute, and a lot of fans are missing me,” Miller said. “I felt I needed to give them some direction as to where my album is and how it’s coming, because a lot of people wanna know if it’s coming gutter or if I’ve changed. I just wanted to let them know that I’ve stepped my game up and I’m keeping it gutter.”
The rapper’s artists on his Tru Records label will make their presence known on the video journal.
“I was gone a lot, and they were there thick and thin through the storm. I made a promise to myself that when I came home, we’re gonna do it and we’re gonna do it together,” Miller continued. “I believe in loyalty myself, and to see that actually happen means a lot to me. A lot of my fans never had a chance to meet the TRU artists or get a picture of how they look, so that’s what I did with The Movement.”
While music may play a prominent role in his life, Miller is also using his fame to highlight the continuing struggle of those affected in his native New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.
In The Movement, the rapper discusses his life and the difficult decisions he’s made with a group of young people during a visit to a New Orleans community center.
The DVD also includes images of the still-devastated areas of New Orleans, as Miller relays effect recent events have had on youth.
“I showed that these kids don’t have nowhere to play in the projects and urban areas. They can’t play because the government banned all that off and hasn’t built it back up,” said the rapper.
According to Miller, he has partnered with the NFL and has launched a new non-profit organization aimed at improving the parks in the city.
“At the same time, we’re gonna open up a teenage pregnancy group home, because they don’t have one in New Orleans – it’s like four hours from here,” Miller revealed. “We got a lot going on – we’re practicing what we preach.”
The Movement is slated to hit stores on Dec. 11.
In the meantime, fans can look forward to Screamin’ 4 Vengeance, a project that allows Miller to express his thoughts on those who have stood against him during his legal troubles.
Miller will stand trial for a second time in February for the alleged murder of 16-year-old Steve Thomas inside a Jefferson Parish nightclub in January 2002.
Miller was originally found guilty of the murder and sentenced to life in prison, but the ruling was overturned after it was revealed that prosecutors had expunged the criminal records of their witnesses in order to boost their credibility.
“I’ve been through so much and, at the same time, I’ve never had a chance to express myself,” the rapper stated. “Certain people in the state of Louisiana are against me — in the court system and the DAs, as well as all the haters that feel like I did it just because I was on the news and was found guilty…They did everything in their power to stop me, legal and illegal…they didn’t want me to get my music out to my fans and to the world. They tried to make an example out of me in the wrong way. After everything, I still came back. I’m unstoppable.”
Miller’s Asylum Records release, Screamin’ 4 Vengeance, is slated to hit stores in February 2008.
