(Nashville,
TN) –
In
an effort to bring attention to the growing epidemic of gang violence,
hip-hop artist Bobby Bishop has released a music video entitled "Please"
from the new Chosen/Executive/Universal Music CD,
Everyday Man.
Bishop wrote the song after gang-related shootings outside his home near
Boston threatened his family.
“I've
had the privilege of reaching out to the local gang population here in
my neighborhood for some years now,” says Bishop. “We purchased our
home in order to be available to our neighborhood youth. We have
offered an open-door policy for neighborhood kids to spend quality time
in a positive, God-centered environment. The night I drove up to police
tape and the Gang Task Force in my yard was like a slap in the face. As
a father, the alpha male instinct just kicked in, and I rushed the crime
scene to get some details. Two kids had shot themselves in a car in
front of our home. Just last month was deja vu, as we awoke to
gunshots. Lacking discernment, I ran outside and subsequently stepped
in a pool of blood. Such reckless behavior stems from people who have
little regard for life, including their own.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there are 27,000 different
gangs and 788,000 active gang members in the U.S. Every city in America
with a population greater than or equal to 250,000 reported gang
activity, according to the Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention.Like many large cities in
the United States, Boston has experienced an epidemic of youth
homicides. In 2006, more than half of Boston's gun
homicides involved gang-related motives, according to the Boston
Globe.
Bishop believes the music video of “Please” will bring awareness to the
growing problem of gang violence and youth suicide.
“My hope is that
the song and the video of ‘Please’ will be used as a tool for awareness,
conviction, and peace,” says Bishop. “I’ve come to realize that there
isn’t a lot of music out there that speaks directly to this issue. I
didn’t grow up around street violence and it’s only been in the past
fifteen years that I’ve really been exposed to such instances, most
recently in my own neighborhood. Some people just don’t realize there’s
a bigger world out there beyond their disputes and pride. We all need
Jesus as our remedy.”
Named by CCM Magazine as one of the top artists in Christian
hip-hop, Bishop
began serving teenagers as a youth minister in Lynn, Massachusetts in
1996, and has been there ever since. He began writing and recording rap
music as a teenager himself, and the fusion of his faith in God and a
passion for rap was a natural one. He realized his experience as a youth
mentor and minister gave him the opportunity to reach out using hip-hop,
particularly as he discovered his knack for storytelling. Amy’s Song,
the true story of a teenage rape victim, gained a tremendous amount of
exposure upon its initial release in 2002 and set the stage for Bishop’s
national career. Bishop has since been featured on national tours with
The Seven Project, and shared stages with countless Christian
music artists from John Reubento Jars of Clay. He has recorded
songs with KJ-52, Pigeon John, Michael Sweet, and been featured on
multiple nationally-distributed projects including DJ Maj’s The
Ringleader (Gotee Records/EMI), Best of the
Submissions Volumes 1,2&3 (Beatmart Records/Sony BMG), and Pee Wee
Callins’ Street Soul (Beatmart Records/Sony BMG), to name a few.
The “Please” track
was produced by New Orleans’ native Brian “Enock” Perales who has a long
resume in the music business, including production for Lil’ Wayne. He
is currently a campus missionary in Louisiana.
Everyday Man
has been given rave reviews by Christianity Today, About.com, Jesus
Freak Hideout, among other media outlets. For more information,
visit:
www.BobbyBishop.com.
(Nashville,
TN) –