In this photo taken Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011 Chicago rapper and alderman candidate Che “Rhymefest” Smith, talks about the problems in the 20th Ward and his decision to seek political office, during an interview in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) — AP
This weekend, Chicago rapper/songwriter Rhymefest used his Twitter page to recount not only his feelings after being robbed at gunpoint, but to show mistreatment by police when he tried to report the crime. The latter has resulted in an apology by the Chicago Police Department.
Rhymefest said he was robbed at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. An armed man got into his parked car, pointed a gun at him and demanded his wallet.
Hours later, Rhymefest tweeted about the experience. The Chicagoan is known for his writing and collaborating with Kanye West, but he has an extensive history of activism as well: he does creative writing and civic engagement classes with children, runs similar programs with Kanye’s organization Donda’s House, and he ran for city council in 2011.
His tweets showed forgiveness, but also frustration and hurt: he said that the person who robbed him is the same type of person who he does his constant community work to help.
“You just put a gun to my face for $3 in my wallet. I defend you against police brutality. I work on your behalf you robbed me,” he said. “You don’t know what you did! And who you did it to. I lived here on the southside because I thought it mattered. I’m reconsidering. … You were gonna shoot me in the face for a wallet, I had the power to give you a job!”
He asked for the assailant to find reach out to him, apologize and “talk to me like a brother. Give me faith that it’s our desperation & not our hearts that are dark.”
When he went to the police station to report the crime, he said he was treated “disgustingly.” In a video he posted on his Twitter account, officers can be seen telling him to turn off his phone’s camera and to leave the police station while refusing to hear him out for a report.
“You wonder [why] we don’t report crimes? The police treated me disgustingly,” he tweeted.
The Chicago Police’s communication director said the video was “disappointing to say the least,” and that he apologized on behalf of the department. Rhymefest responded by asking for a meeting “help you find solutions to help better police our communities.”
See Rhymefest’s tweets, and video of the police station encounter, below.
To the young brother that put the gun to my head this morning & took my wallet. You don’t know how you just damaged your community.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
It’s 730am. you just put a gun in my face for $3 in my wallet. I defend you against police brutality, I work on your behalf you robbed me
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
Until our communities have restorative Justice set up, you better make friends with a police officer.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
You don’t know what you did! And who you did it to. I lived here on the southside because I thought it mattered. I’m reconsidering
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
You were gonna shoot me in the face for a wallet, I had the power to give you a job!
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
I’m not even mad, I’m fuckin’ hurt.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
When you look in my Wallet & see the name Che Smith on the ID. DM me, yes contact me apologize and talk to me like a brother.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
Give me faith that it’s our desperation & not our hearts thatre dark. The man who robbed me I want to reach out to me If I know him tell him
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
You wonder we don’t report crimes? The police treated me disgustingly pic.twitter.com/fY9VQrqDpz
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
@AJGuglielmi I would like to bring young people I work with and help you find solutions to help better Police our communities.
— Rhymefest (@RHYMEFEST) August 27, 2016
The post Rhymefest Robbed, Films Police Mistreatment While Reporting Crime appeared first on Okayplayer.
