Russell Simmons hopes he can help step in and help squash the beef between Chris Brown and Drake.

“The situation that occurred [Wednesday] night between Chris Brown and Drake should not have happened, but as a yogi and a supporter of non-violence, I can call the two young men and encourage them to bury their beef,” the hip-hop mogul and co-founder of the pioneering Def Jam label wrote on Global Grind. “It is a luxury we have as men with resources...we can settle our problems without taking it to the next level.”

Although Simmons was displeased to learn about the wild bar brawl between the artists’ camps at New York City’s W.I.P. that left Brown with a nasty gash, he believes the incident was part of a bigger problem with urban culture.

“We can focus on ending the beef between Drake and Chris Brown, which is important, because none of us want this to escalate,” he continued. “However, let us also take a moment to reflect upon why we have become so violent. Why did 53 people get shot in Chicago? Why did J. Futuristic get shot six times in Atlanta? Why did Lil Phat get killed after getting shot 20 times? This violence has become the norm for our people, and it absolutely devastates me.”

“I fight every single day to bury beefs, and I will call Drake and Chris to bury theirs,” Simmons added. “But, just because I might be able to stop two artists from fighting, doesn't mean I can make the call for the 53 kids in Chicago. If you think the violence in the industry is bad, check the hood.”—Jakinder Singh

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