Hip Hop Artist Vigalantee Speaks Out on Georgia Prison Strike

While taking a nap the other day, a thought came to mind: Why aren't more hip hop artists speaking out in favor of the Georgia prison strike? I mean, some rappers spend quite a bit of time writing about their experiences in prison, they have friends and family in prison, and prison even becomes a badge of honor for some. Instead of spending so much time promoting the pride of having gone to prison, why not promote the idea of advocating for the human rights of prison inmates? Not to say that everyone in prison is sweet and innocent, but in a nation that incarcerates more of its citizens than any country in the world (a disproportionate number of whom happen to be descendants of slaves), we've got a serious problem. It's not coincidental that the 13th Amendment allows for slavery to exist in the United States, as long as the person is a convicted felon. The historical profitability of forced servitude is why so many inmates are black.

Well, one rapper isn't taking the path of silence. Roger Suggs, aka Vigalantee, is a Kansas City rapper and community activist who believes in fighting for human rights, civil rights and labor rights. While Roger is committed to teaching youth how to stay out of prison, he also believes in creating avenues of opportunity for those who make mistakes.

Vigalantee is also from Georgia, which has one of the worst prison systems in the United States. In Georgia, 62 percent of the inmates are black. Also, the state passed a Draconian piece of legislation called SB 400, which gives the state the right to sentence children to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Over 90% of the children sentenced under this law are African American.

By advocating for human rights for prison inmates, Vigalantee is not trying to be soft on crime. Instead, he argues that when someone makes a mistake, they should be encouraged to improve themselves through education and not be exposed to abuses such as prison rape, beating and the other things that happen on a regular basis. When it's all said and done, those who are sent to prison are eventually expected to return to their communities, and it doesn't help any of us if they are left jobless, uneducated, and unable to provide for their families.

The interview with Roger is below. If you are interested in being a part of continuous efforts to support the Georgia prison strike and to advocate for human rights of inmates and their families, please click here.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.