Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Police target Urban artists in Africa

American Hip Hop artists are not the only targets of police brutality, it seems the problem also plagues artists in Nigeria. The latest victim - 9ice. On Wed, May 7th, 2008, police gave him the serious beat down. As reported by Seun Apara of Encomium magazine:

"the brutal attack happened at Bariga where he had gone to see his sick mother. According to him, the traffic was quite serious and they had some important stuff to attend to. On his way back from Bariga, three men and a woman suddenly double crossed him, and because they were all in mufti and the place was not a check point, he mistook them for robbers and sped off. Unknown to him, the police officers were pursuing him and when it was obvious to them that they couldn't get him, they started shooting at his tyres. Immediately the car stopped, all the officers started beating him with guns and police batons. They dragged him down from the car, tore his clothes and dragged him to one of the police stations in Bariga and put him behind the counter...A crowd gathered at the station immediately when they heard 9ice had been arrested. The Lagos State Police PRO, Mr, Frank Mba, ordered his release and apologised to him. The excuse of the officers later was that they didn't recognise him as an artiste and also he did not stop when they told him to."

It bugs me out how police who are not in proper uniform expect people to respond to them like they are. That's some craziness right there...This incident adds to others that have occured to Muma Gee, Paul play, and Peter of P-Square. Below is Ruggedman ft. 9ice. Enjoy!

Flava reppin the global Hip Hop movement!

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