Killer Mike and 2 Chainz call for the preservation of Atlanta’s black-owned businesses

Killer Mike and 2 Chainz have criticized a recently introduced nuisance ordinance in Atlanta that they say is punishing the city’s small and black businesses.

The rappers, both from Atlanta, attended a town hall meeting on Monday (August 1) asking for the small business to be preserved. Rapper Young Thug’s father, Jeffrey Williams Sr., was also there and argued that the ordinance’s “catchy approach,” which seeks to reduce violence in the neighborhood of clubs and establishments, “punishes parties that are not involved. “

In April, Mayor Andre Dickens introduced the nuisance ordinance, which is intended to allow the city to close any establishment deemed a “nuisance” after two reports of “violent crimes or behavior” within a two-year period. It would also address businesses that have previously managed to avoid closure by taking advantage of loopholes, such as allegedly changing property ownership.

Killer Mike explained that the last time he attended a meeting was in May to address “the importance of small and local businesses,” but said he doesn’t feel like much has changed since then. towards. Instead, he pointed out that Atlanta’s continued development — which prioritizes large corporations over small, community-based businesses — has taken hold (via Rolling Stone).

“As Atlanta grows, businesses will come here,” said the Run The Jewels band member. “Someone is going to have nightlife in the city of conventions.”

The two options, he suggested, are for “Hard Rock owners” to continue the thriving nightlife [Café] or the owners of Hooters or the owners of the W Hotel” or, he said it was the little people who went to Frederick Douglass [escuela secundaria]…and Southwest DeKalb, and schools like that.”

2 Chainz also spoke at the meeting, telling attendees that he owns two local restaurants: Escobar and Escobar Seafood.

“I’m very blessed, and I like to be a blessing to other people too, and that’s what my businesses have allowed me to do,” said 2 Chainz. “They need to withdraw some of the things they have in the ordinance. And I think crime is up everywhere, not just in Atlanta.”

Jeffrey Williams Sr., for his part, asked a rhetorical question: “If a crime happens in city hall, did city hall cause it?”

“You want to hold the crime artists in the city accountable,” reports Rolling Stone, also telling CBS46. “Now you want to point the finger at the night life to be part of the crime in the city.”

Mike added, “We’re not going to elect councilors here, we’re not going to grow businesses here. Because it’s all going to be handed over to business. I insist that this be sent back to committee.”

He also informed the council members that Atlanta is one of the few cities in the United States whose artists and athletes have created a kind of “business class” where businesses and entertainment venues are popular “with people who have they look like you.”

According to Rolling Stone, he said that when politicians need donations and votes, these owners are at the top of their list to appeal to.

He ended his speech with, “Are we going to keep Atlanta a place where local people can grow and thrive here?”

In other news, Killer Mike has released his first song as a solo artist in a decade, enlisting Young Thug and comedian Dave Chappelle for ‘RUN’.