Thirteen Baltimore MCs Remake “Self-Destruction” and Create Their Own Stop the Violence Movement

In 1988, KRS-One assembled an all-star cast of East Coast rappers as the Stop the Violence Movement to release a protest song called “Self Destruction,” which became the standard bearer for hip-hop artists banding together to make a positive statement, the genre’s equivalent of “We Are the World.” In recent weeks, many local hip-hop artists have collaborated in the same spirit as Stop the Violence Baltimore, which has so far only been a loose affiliation of artists, mainly taking the form of a concert and a Facebook group. No fewer than 13 local MCs have now helped to cement that movement by remaking “Self Destruction” with seven minutes of impassioned new lyrics about Baltimore’s struggles with violent crime over the 1988 original’s instrumental: Only, Jay McGraw, Lord Baltimore, Jade Fox, Rip the Ruler, Blizzard, Ab Rock, Ms. Cream, JayDee, Shy Lady Heroine, Okay, Taz Jonez, DGK, and Stevie Krizz.

What the track may lack in famous names, it makes up for in passion and diversity, with a lineup that boasts five female rappers and an unlikely mix of backpackers, battle MCs, gritty mixtape rappers, and everything in between. And everyone involved gives it their all, whether it’s Rip the Ruler’s brief but perfect four bar cameo or the full-fledged 16 bar verses by standout Lord Baltimore or the closing words by Stevie Krizz of the Unstoppable Nuklehidz, one of the driving forces behind Stop the Violence Baltimore.

Self-Destruction by EverydayElk

Tags: Ab Rock. Ms. Cream, Blizzard, DGK, Jade Fox, Jay McGraw, JayDee, Lord Baltimore, Okay, Only, Rip the Ruler, Shy Lady Heroine, Stevie Krizz, Taz Jonez