Watch: 5 Things We Learned at The Hip-Hop 4 Human Rights Concert

On Tuesday, April 12, The Root joined our sister network Fusion and Univision’s new music vertical, TrackRecord in Albany, NY for a Hip-Hop 4 Human Rights concert to help end solitary confinement in prison. The show brought out hip-hop artists Chi Ali, Ahmen, Peter Gunz, Mysonne and DJ Kay Slay, as well as activists including Ricky Jones (of the Harlem Restoration Project) and the Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. (of the Hip-Hop Caucus), all to promote positive changes in the justice system.

Here are the things we learned after attending the event:

1. Solitary confinement is a divided issue.

When we originally posted the story of rapper Chi Ali who did 12 years for murder, he shared why fighting against solitary confinement meant something to him. He went through it while he did his time. We received a lot of comments with no regard to prisoners’ lives: “Well when you committed a crime expect consequence,” or ” I am not sure the African American community should spend their political capital on this particular issue. We have much serious issues that need our immediate attention.” There was no compassion for prisoners who may or may not have done anything to get them placed in soitary confinement, which is one of the most inhumane things you could ever do to anyone. Watch Chi Ali’s story about solitary confinement here.

2. There’s a such thing as Street Corner Resources and it’s amazing!

We met Iesha Sekou, the founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources and an activist. Street Corner Resources seeks to create a more peaceful community by providing teenagers and young adults greater access to real employment, education, training and other resources to assist them as they strive for success.

She found out in this work that young people were entering prison in a fast rate and being locked away into solitary confinement. If they were released back into society, more often than not, it didn’t take long for them to be placed in prison again. Her organization is here as a tool to break the cycle.

3. Peter Gunz is still hated, even when he has a cause.

Peter Gunz rose to fame as a hip-hop artist with his hit, “Déjà Vu,’ but quickly fell from grace as the biggest scumbag on Vh1 reality show, “Love and Hip Hop.” His playboy ways and tendency to get women pregnant at the same time made him a target. However, who knew he had a cause! He attended the event to speak out against solitary confinement, and The Root interviewed him live on-site. The comments dragged him into oblivion. Gunz said that he wasn’t going to attend because he didn’t want a negative light shone on the event, but he just had to show his support.

4. Live paintings make any event awesome.

Painter Demont Pinder attended the event and did a live painting during the show. He used the energy of the show to guide him into painting a gorgeous mural, featuring a young black man in jail. It sounds sad, but it was a beautiful display of something horrific. The touches of gold in the paining give off royal vibes and there’s nothing more awesome than knowing that black people have been, are and could be royal.

5. I don’t have the right to do nothing.

Rapper, Mysonne performed and not only did he rap, but he did a spoken word and repeated the powerful phrase: “I don’t have the right to do nothing.” This means that one of our biggest rights as black people is to do something because “revolution is a part of evolution.” Mysonne said his forefathers weren’t given restitution, but instead destitution, so now, with so many liberties that we have, it’s our right to do something.

You can watch our interviews of the rappers and speakers in attendance here or here.