Benny The Butcher has defended the violent and drug-riddled rap music consumed by the masses, claiming “positive” messages turn listeners off.
In a P.S.A. posted on his Instagram Stories on Thursday (December 22), the Buffalo, New York native addressed the continued criticism that Hip Hop’s street-oriented practitioners face, not-so-politely telling critics to “shut the fuck up” and let people enjoy the music — because it’s clearly what they like.
“Most people who say rap is violent or don’t like rappers talking about drugs WILL NOT listen to [that] same rapper if he/she makes what they deem to be positive music,” he wrote. “so shut the fuck up and leave it to the people who like it.”
Benny The Butcher isn’t the only rapper with an opinion on the topic. Last month, 50 Cent shared his thoughts on whether Hip Hop has become more violent in recent years.
“I think it’s the same energy but we’re in a different period so it looks different,” he said on his Hip Hop Homicides show. “It’s gonna happen where everyone can take a look on camera. When Nipsey gets killed, for the first time they saw him get killed.
“Because of social media, everyone’s involved now. Because those kids in middle America are clicking the fucking button to look and are fascinated with the killings because they’re living on a side so wild compared to the conservative lifestyle they’re having.”
21 Savage also weighed in on the debate this past summer, and defended his violent lyrics by urging fans not to categorize him as one-dimensional artist. His comments came after fans called out his violent bars following his plea to Atlanta to “put the guns down.”
Doe Boy Says Rap Music Isn’t To Blame For Street Violence: ‘That Shit Gonna Happen Anyway’
“A Song Is For Entertainment It’s Not An Instruction Manual On How To Live Life In Real Life I Give Away A Lot Of Money And Spread Financial Literacy To My Community Stop Trying To Make Me 1-Dimensional,” he wrote on Twitter.
As for Benny The Butcher, he has been publicly combatting narratives surrounding his music for some time. While a majority of his catalog appeals to fans of grimy street rap, the Griselda MC feels some of his catalog still caters to the ladies.
“So u tryna tell me Crowns For Kings don’t get the ladies in the mood,” he tweeted while clapping back at a fan last month, referencing his bars-heavy collaboration with Black Thought from 2019’s The Plugs I Met.
Benny and his Black Soprano Family collective dropped off an early Christmas gift for fans with the delivery of the “SAINT MAURICE” video on Friday (December 23). Watch it below:
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