“In our community it’s funny how the unity,
it seems to fall from tragedy instead of love from you and me.
As we move from war to peace
and back again while mothers all cry in the streets
from the gunshots.”
—Nicolay & Kay, featuring Chip Fu “The Gunshot”
If you’ve never heard this song before, it is a “must hear!”
The summer is supposed to be a time of fun with people enjoying the weather, going to the beach, the park, enjoying family and friends, vacationing, etc. Sadly, the opposing force to these moments of jubilation is violence which plagues some cities more than others. According to the homicide statistics from the Philadelphia Police Department, there have been 159 homicides this year (including July 1, 2011). Even though it is 21 percent lower than it was in 2007 (the homicide rate was 202 by July 1st), this is still a relatively high number. Actually, from June 1st to July 1st of this year, there have been 37 homicides; that’s more than one per day! (Crime Maps & Stats)
Yes, it is true that many rappers choose to promote and glorify violence, but that is not always their agenda. Some actually are quite positive and influential in their communities and want to put an end to gun violence or any type of violence for that matter. One artist in particular who addresses the need to do something about gun violence is Kay, a Houston, Texas rapper who paired up with Nicolay, the ultimate producer extraordinaire from the Netherlands to compose the classic album “Timeline.” The production of song, “The Gunshot,” featuring Chip Fu, alone is enough to captivate listeners; however, most people would be able to resonate with and enjoy the profound lyrics of Kay as well.
It is unfortunate that many people with whom I have come in contact with can attest to having a direct or indirect experience with gun violence. My first experience with gun violence was during my senior year of high school where two of my classmates, in separate incidents, were brutally slain. Kay makes an observation that is unfortunate as well, “In our community it’s funny how the unity…it seems to fall from tragedy instead of love from you and me.” Why do many of us wait for violence to strike before we take action? Why not rally together in masses and take back our neighborhoods from violent offenders rather than have to undergo candle light vigils and teddy bear and balloon shrines for innocent bystanders and children caught in the crossfire? Can some of these senseless tragedies be prevented with the love and peace from the community to stop the mothers from crying in the streets from the gunshots?
Please feel free to share your thoughts
~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris
Bonus English Lesson:
In order to make a poem or rap more complex and rhythmic, the writer may employ an internal rhyme, which is a rhyme that occurs within the line of verse. For example, the word in the middle of the line will rhyme with the ending word in the line. “In our community it’s funny how the unity, it seems to fall from tragedy instead of love from you and me.” In the second line, Kay actually uses assonance, meaning that the rhyme focus is on the vowel sound, specifically “tragedy” and “me.“, rather than the entire words rhyming.
Journey of Anonomz 
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