An aspiring 19-year-old Chicago rapper, Lil Reese (Tavares Taylor), signed to Def Jam records, just got better-known when a camera-phone video started going around, showing him striking down and kicking a woman who told him to leave her apartment.
I’m not going to talk about what should happen to people who go to other people’s homes and attack them when asked to leave. At latest report the police say they don’t know who the woman was or where and when this all took place, but they did make a copy of the video. Something should happen, but here I’ll focus on the apology. Or non-apology. Note to headline writers: Just because it has the word apologize in it doesn’t mean it’s an apology.
His initial explanation on Twitter: “The haters tryna see a mf Dwn lol Dey gotta b broke & bored wanna upload sum s— from years ago damnn we winnin it’s 2 late”. Ah, the haters. How we pity the haters. However, others say it wasn’t “years ago,” but last year
Lil Reese also added insults on Twitter. “This hoes be acting up n lil reese n the bus driver aint lettin them.” (The Cleveland bus driver in question was videotaped arguing with a female passenger, punching her in the face, and physically throwing her off the bus. Apparently a hero to Lil Reese.) “My grandad(the bus driver) just called me n said I should of uppercutted the hoe.” (All this at hashtag 3hunna.)
People were upset, including, apparently, people Lil Reese respects or wants to respect him. After a while he tweeted a so-called apology. “Everybdy makes mistakes I was out of charcter & ive grown sense then Dont judge me for my past I can admit my wrongs and I apologize.”
No no no. I am judging you for right now. When you hurt someone, you apologize to them. To them, not onlookers, rap fans, critics, passing dogs. Lil Reese should apologize, and try to make amends to the woman the Chicago police can’t find, Tiairah Marie (Self’Made Prodigy on Facebook).
Not a picture of Lil Reese.
Rapper Nikki Lynette talks about the video and how violence can desensitize people who see too much of it. “I’ve seen my dad do worse to my own mom.” She says she was “a really sensitive kid. Then one day, I just wasn’t anymore. I don’t know if I’ll ever be a sensitive person again.” Lynette says that while there are still men in the community who would step in to stop violence against women, increasingly others think it’s okay.
How about you, Def Jam Records? Thoughts?
(But if this post is depressing you, read Nikki Lynette on things her white friends aren’t allowed to say during Black History Month. Um, that would be February.)
The video is on YouTube (you have to register and say you’re old enough to watch it). I’m not putting a link, but it’s easy to find. It’s no fun to watch. The recording quality is rotten. When she’s knocked to the floor and kicked, she’s screaming “Wait wait wait wait!” but at first I thought she was screaming “Why why why why?” Which is a really good question.
