Cash & hip hop aim to reduce youth violence

By Gerald V. Paul

“It’s a cold world but some hot spots in my city, I
I find it hard to rep a Bloc in my city.”
From the song Make a Change

As Senator Don Meredith announced the infusion of cash for work to reduce youth violence in the Jane and Finch area, a cop and a musician are on the same page with a release of a CD.

“Make a Change” lyrics and performance by Promised Shepherd calls for the ownership of the city and an end to violence- in the aftermath of the Danzig shootings in Scarborough in July, the city’s worst ever mass shooting tht left two dead and over 20 people injured.

Promised acknowledged that it is not popular to work with police, but he justified his position, saying: “Those who have heard my music know that I make positive, inspirational music all the time, not just because something happened.

Staff Inspector Tony Riviere, of 33 Division, who joined Promised in the project, noted: “Until we can get co-operation from residents in priority neighbourhoods facing violence, we can’t reach a maximum impact. If music does that, great. If not, we find other mediums.”