After serving an eight-month bid at Rikers Island, Cash Money Records threw an elaborate coming home party for their No. 1 artist, Lil Wayne. Held at the DuPont building in Miami, attendees arrived at the red carpet event in Rolls Royces, Porches, Range Rovers, Maybachs and Lamborghinis.
Flanked by two models dressed in showgirl regalia, Lil Wayne walked the red carpet before partying with fellow stars such as Baby, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Waka Flocka, Lauren London, T-Pain and Busta Rhymes. Busta Rhymes was quoted as saying, “It’s gonna feel like us welcoming the return of a king.”
In August, celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Usher, Diddy, Rick Ross, and Amber Rose celebrated T.I.’s release from prison by holding an exclusive coming home party in Los Angeles.
But instead of being vilified for their actions, rappers who spend time in prison are treated with more admiration than college graduates or soldiers who return home from war.
By throwing elaborate parties for convicted felons, the attendees and party promoters continue to perpetuate the dangerous assumption that prison is a rite of passage for young black men.
But in reality, most young black men who enter the prison system will never experience an elaborate celebration once they complete their sentences. The majority of convicted felons discover that it’s nearly impossible to find a job and to maintain a decent living with such a stigma attached to them.
The self-destructive actions of Lil Wayne, T.I. and Gucci Mane and other rappers must be addressed by their close supporters and respected voices within the hip-hop community. Because it’s irrational for convicted felons to be treated like kings if they aren’t positive leaders in their communities and to the youth who make them rich by purchasing their records and attending their concerts. –a.r.
