NYPD Commissioner Addresses T.I. Concert Shooting, Calls Rappers 'Basically Thugs'

Hours after gunfire ended T.I.’s New York concert at Irving Plaza with one dead and three others injured, including Troy Ave, NYPD Commissioner William Bratton addressed the issue with a controversial statement about hip-hop.

During an interview with WCBS Newsradio 880 on Thursday (May 26) (via BuzzFeed), Bratton appeared to place blame on rap stars.

“The crazy world of these so-called rap artists who are basically thugs that basically celebrate the violence that they’ve done all their lives,” he said. “Unfortunately that violence often times manifests itself during their performances, and that’s exactly what happened last evening.

“It’s unfortunate,” he added. “You’d like to think that with all the wealth that comes from the fame, that they’ll be able to turn their lives around but they continue hanging out with the same people they hung out with when they came out of that world of desperation, poverty, and crime.”

He went on to say that while fans may enjoy rap, he doesn’t agree with the subject matter that some MCs choose to rhyme about.

“There’s no denying that to a lot of people … they enjoy the music,” he said. “[But] the music unfortunately often times celebrates violence, celebrates degradation of women, celebrates the drug culture and it’s unfortunate that as they get fame and fortune, some of them are not able to ‘get out of the life.'”

Bratton says he feels the NYPD will “wrap” this case up quickly, adding that they “have a pretty good idea of what happened.”