Beanie Sigel has been embroiled in his share of legal drama over the years, but now he’s stepping up in an attempt to help reduce crime in his violence plagued hometown of Philadelphia. The Roc-A-Fella artist recently taped an anti-violence public service announcement in conjunction with Philly’s Fox 29. In the spot, which Beans sat down to film this past week, he urges young people to avoid the pitfalls of the street that will only lead them to prison or death. "Exercise your mind, not your trigger finger,” he urges viewers. When asked by a Fox reporter why kids would heed the advice of an artist known for his violent music, the rapper explained that his reputation gives him credibility with at-risk youth. “If this is a message for the youth, it gotta come from somebody that they not only respect, but they know. That been through what they're goin’ through,” the Broad Street Bully explained. “I got the scars. I got the wounds. I know. Why should they listen to me, who else they gonna listen to?” Philadelphia has had 375 murders so far this year, making it one of the most violent major cities in the country.

More From XXL