Community activist Alvertis Simmons launched a campaign Saturday to combat the “stop snitching” message he says is prevalent in rap music – he calls it “Start Talking.”
“It’s OK to tell,” he told about 25 community members attending a rally at Aurora’s Del Mar Park.
Youth are often reluctant to come forward when they witness a crime, and a lot of it has to do with rappers ostracizing those who go to authorities, he added.
Simmons hopes to roll out T-shirts and buttons, and eventually spread his message to Denver and Aurora grade-school students.
Gerald Muhammad, the Nation of Islam’s state representative, said there needs to be an increase in leadership in the community.
He criticized black leaders who denounced radio shock-jock Don Imus when he used derogatory language to describe black female basketball players but remain quiet when rappers use the same or worse epithets.
“We jump on a white man, but we don’t jump on a black man,” he said.
Simmons, meanwhile, said he knows weaning kids away from some of rap music’s destructive messages will be an uphill battle, but it has to start somewhere.
“If you do harm in our community, we’re going to point you out and report you,” he said. “What we’re saying is not going to sell records, but it’s going to save lives.”
Staff writer Vimal Patel can be reached at 303-954-1638 or vpatel@denverpost.com.
