Nas Calls Trayvon Martin a Martyr

The hip-hop community is still up in arms about the tragic death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and the latest MC to speak out about it is Nas.

During an interview with Hot 97 radio personality Angie Martinez, Nasty expressed his sentiments about the unfortunate event.

“You never want to hear that kind of news,” he said. "When it happens, you remember how many Trayvon incidents happen everyday all over the world…It doesn’t seem like the race problem will ever get solved. I like to be optimistic, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll ever get solved.

"That's a sickness that needs healing, that this guy Zimmerman is dealing with, and all the Zimmermans around the world," Nas, who, like many others demonstrated via Twit-pics, wore a hoodie to honor Trayvon during the interview, continued. "They're dealing with a self-hatred, ignorant, sickness. They're living in fear. So I'm rocking a hoodie for my man."

In trying to stay positive, thought, Nas says he views Martin as a martyr, hoping the legacy he leaves “can become something that helps change things, hopefully."

Others from the hip-hop community have also spoken out about Martin's senseless death. In a recent interview with MTV News, 50 Cent mentions the matter of morality in any murder.

"It's unfortunate any time things like that happen, and I don't know exactly what the motivation of the man who actually killed him was, but it doesn't feel positive," said the G-Unit head honcho. He added, "For any circumstances when someone's killed and there's a person there that we know did it, regardless of their intentions at that point, there's right and wrong. And I think that it's obvious who's wrong in this actual situation."

As XXLMAG.COM has previously reported both Young Jeezy and Game have also spoken out against the injustices of the shooting. Many other rappers and hip-hop figures have taken to Twitter to voice their anger and to raise awareness as well. Public Enemy’s Chuck D, a known hip-hop activist, tweeted a suggestion to Florida native Rick Ross, to make a song honoring Trayvon Martin. Plies and Mistah F.A.B. have already released tracks, as tributes to the teen.

Martin was wearing a hoodie and carrying only his cell phone, a bag of skittles and iced-tea when he was fatally shot by volunteer neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman. He was walking back to the house of a family-friend, who lived within a gated community in Florida, hoping to catch the second half of the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Zimmerman deemed Trayvon as “suspicious,” and repeatedly ignored the instructions given by a 911 dispatcher, by pursuing the teen and eventually shooting him to death.

Though Zimmerman has admitted to the murder, authorities have yet to charge or arrest him, citing Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law, which allows a person to kill in cases of self-defense. —Christian Bonoan (@Chrisakachise)