Many within the hip-hop community have responded to the events that occurred this week in Ferguson, Mo., when a grand jury declined to indict Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown. The issue has affected the nation, leading to protests in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and Washington, D.C., among others. Lecrae—one of the more consciously outspoken rappers of his generation—penned an op-ed for Billboard outlining his thoughts on the issues at hand.

After noting that he doesn't have all the facts of what happened the day that Wilson, a white police officer, shot and killed unarmed black teenager Brown, Lecrae addressed what he sees as a larger issue at hand. "[T]he system we have in place has biases because well...it's kept by people with biases," Lecrae wrote. "People like you and me."

He then went on to present his view of the broader situation that went down in Ferguson this Monday, when the grand jury's decision to not indict Wilson was announced.

"Disenfranchised, marginalized, and systemically oppressed people were looking for a different outcome with the grand jury," he wrote. "When that didn't happen, they acted. There were reckless opportunists sure, but there were also plenty of young, hurt, and angry people who wanted to be heard."

There is a lack of leadership for the youth, he continued, and still a divide among America 50 years after the Civil Rights movement took place. To read the rest of Lecrae's words, check the full piece right here.

[Billboard]

Related: Watch Lecrae Rock Out With The Roots On The Tonight Show
Review: Lecrae Blends A Strong Message With Tight Lyrics On Anomaly
Rick Ross On Ferguson Decision: “It’s A Travesty”
Mick Jenkins On Ferguson Decision: “We Aren’t Cared About In Our Society”

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