Joey Bada$$ Thinks More Artists Need To Step-Up As Role Models

Joey Bada$$ isn’t satisfied with hip-hop’s response to the shooting death of Michael Brown and Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict the now former Officer Darren Wilson.

“I think that it’s very important for artists to raise awareness in situations, especially worldwide situations,” the rapper revealed to MTV UK while in London. “Because I feel like, in today’s world, in today’s society, we don’t have as much civil rights leaders as we used to.”

To fill the gap of role models, Joey believes it is on today’s artists to fill the gap and rise to the occasion. “Back in the day, a civil rights leader would come on television and he’s well-known; everyone knows him, he’s like the president. Now, today, it’s like, we have very few. And the people of today who have that same stature are musicians. Now, it’s rappers who have that stature.”

With the impending January release of his debut LP, B4.DA.$$ (Before The Money), the Brooklyn native hopes to use his growing platform to effect change and shed light on important issues like the protests in Ferguson.

“Me, as an artist, I’m always gonna try to do my part,” he said. “The more and more I grow, the bigger voice I become, so the more people I can actually speak for. So I’m gonna try to utilize that to do nothing but positive things.”