Christian Rapper Thi'sl Speaks Out on Lecrae's Activism, Fatherlessness in the Inner City and Ferguson (Part 1)
Democrats, on the other hand, use issues in the inner city to stir up support from the people that live there, but do little to actually fix the problems once they get into office, according to the rapper.
"They know we have issues with unemployment, teenage pregnancy and police brutality, so they use those points as their strength. So when they come and talk to the people that they need to woo, they talk and say they [want to help], when all in all [most of the politicians] that I see, their goal isn't to try to help us. It's to try to keep the people that they want to follow them impressed."
In the same way, Thi'sl believes Democrats used same-sex marriage to keep the party in power by gaining the support of gays.
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But politicians aren't the only ones who improperly address problems in the inner city, according to Thi'sl. The rapper said Christians who live outside those communities also sometimes choose to ignore what is happening there.
He believes this is why fellow rapper Lecrae has received backlash from Christian fans while speaking about Ferguson and other racial issues on social media in recent months.
Lecrae challenged "white Christians" to care more about the inner city, and even said "it feels like my eternal family could care less about my earthly family."
Thi'sl says Lecrae's fans aren't used to hearing him talk about social issues since it hasn't been something he's done in the past.
"My thing has always been speaking about social injustices. So people that follow me, they kind of expect [me to talk about these issues]. But the reason Lecrae has the problem is because the predominant audience that follows Lecrae are white [suburban kids]," he said. "Christians, in general, whether it's suburban, white or black, we're so disconnected from other people's lives that we don't know what's happening in culture until it's a main event like [Ferguson]."
Where people live plays a big role in how they percieve and understand the problems that plague those who live in the inner city, according to Thi'sl, who spoke about a white couple that he knows who live in the inner city of Chicago that disciple young men and deal with these problems on a daily basis.
"If I went to them before Ferguson happened and asked, 'What are the main issues that people in your neighborhood communicate?' One of the main things they would have told me would be police brutality," said This'l.
But not everyone has this type of experience and therefore cannot relate to the problems plaguing the inner city, which is why they might not want to hear about it from Lecrae, according to the rapper.
Thi'sl believes suburban Christians have also taken sides politically when it comes to these issues, and when Lecrae presents an opposing view, it does not fare well with his audience.
Thi'sl also spoke about police brutality from the perspective of law enforcement and sympathized with their situation in the U.S.
The rapper said he understands that police undertake a difficult task each day by trying to enforce laws in communities fraught with violence.
In his view, the nation itself is a rebellious place that has dealt with those who are against the establishment since its inception. This makes police extremely cautious and protective of themselves.
"We have to be realists and understand that, in America, we have a high crime volume. Our officers are met with a different type of aggression. So when I see people talking about 'Well, in London they've only killed two people in eight years, it's not the same kind of country," he said.
The anti-establishment attitude is held by Americans of all cultures, according to Thi'sl, and has created an aggressive and tense environment.
"It's hard for our officers to police our country. I commend them," he said.
Heavy Is the Head is available for purchase on iTunes.
