Home to deep dish pizza, Kanye West, a dope skyline, the Oprah Winfrey Show, Harold's Chicken, Common, the 6-time Michael Jordan-led NBA Champion Bulls + so much more, Chicago is easily one of the best cities in the world! However, there is one dark cloud that continuously plagues this great city of big shoulders: Violence. Whenever traveling outside of Chicago, I proudly boast, "Chicago," when asked where I'm from. That answer is usually greeted with, "Ah, yes, Chicago, what a great city...but isn't the violence pretty bad?" Don't let the conversation go any further with me declaring the south side as home, because then I'm met with exasperation and looks of genuine concern that carefully inquire, "Isn't it dangerous?"
It's no secret that Chicago deals with a higher murder rate than the Iraq war, but instead of focusing on the violence, Terrence Randolph better known to most as Hustle Simmons who has recently felt the impact of these cold Windy City streets when he lost his brother to yet another senseless act of violence, has created Hustlepalooza: Stop the Violence/Increase the Peace Day as a call for responsibility by the Chicago community. The event kicks off on Wednesday 9.9.11 with a concert headlined by R+B star Raheem DeVaugn and will continue into the classroom of some of Chicago's public schools.
Video: Recording artist GLC speaks on violence in his hometown of Chicago.
Hustlepalooza: Stop The Violence x GLC from Charlie Bressler on Vimeo.
