In an effort to bring attention to the growing epidemic of gang violence, hip-hop artist Bobby Bishop has released a music video titled “Please” from the new Chosen/Executive/Universal Music CD, Everyday Man. Bishop wrote the song after gang-related shootings outside his home near Boston threatened his family.
“I’ve had the privilege of reaching out to the local gang population here in my neighborhood for some years now,” says Bishop. “We purchased our home in order to be available to our neighborhood youth. We have offered an open-door policy for neighborhood kids to spend quality time in a positive, God-centered environment. The night I drove up to police tape and the gang task force in my yard was like a slap in the face. As a father, the alpha male instinct just kicked in, and I rushed the crime scene to get some details. Two kids had shot themselves in a car in front of our home. Just last month was deja vu, as we awoke to gunshots. Lacking discernment, I ran outside and subsequently stepped in a pool of blood. Such reckless behavior stems from people who have little regard for life, including their own.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there are 27,000 different gangs and 788,000 active gang members in the United States. Every city in America with a population greater than or equal to 250,000 reported gang activity, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Like many large cities in the United States, Boston has experienced an epidemic of youth homicides. In 2006, more than half of Boston’s gun homicides involved gang-related motives, according to the Boston Globe. Bishop believes the music video of “Please” will bring awareness to the growing problem of gang violence and youth suicide.
“My hope is that the song and the video of ‘Please’ will be used as a tool for awareness, conviction and peace,” says Bishop. “I’ve come to realize there isn’t a lot of music out there that speaks directly to this issue. I didn’t grow up around street violence, and it’s only been in the past 15 years that I’ve really been exposed to such instances, most recently in my own neighborhood. Some people just don’t realize there’s a bigger world out there beyond their disputes and pride. We all need Jesus as our remedy.”
Named by CCM Magazine as one of the top artists in Christian hip-hop, Bishop began serving teenagers as a youth minister in Lynn, Mass., in 1996, and has been there ever since. He began writing and recording rap music as a teenager, and the fusion of his faith in God and a passion for rap was a natural one. He realized his experience as a youth mentor and minister gave him the opportunity to reach out using hip-hop, particularly as he discovered his knack for storytelling.
“Amy’s Song,” the true story of a teenage rape victim, gained a tremendous amount of exposure upon its initial release in 2002 and set the stage for Bishop’s national career. Bishop has since been featured on national tours with The Seven Project and shared stages with countless Christian music artists from John Reuben to Jars of Clay. He has recorded songs with KJ-52, Pigeon John and Michael Sweet and been featured on multiple nationally-distributed projects, including DJ Maj’s The Ringleader (Gotee Records/EMI), Best of the Submissions Volumes 1, 2 & 3 (Beatmart Records/Sony BMG), and Pee Wee Callins’ Street Soul (Beatmart Records/Sony BMG), to name a few.
The “Please” track was produced by New Orleans’ native Brian “Enock” Perales, who has a long resume in the music business, including production for Lil’ Wayne. He is currently a campus missionary in Louisiana.
Everyday Man has been given rave reviews by Christianity Today, About.com and Jesus Freak Hideout, among other media outlets. For more information, visit BobbyBishop.com.
