The Game has partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on a new public outreach campaign which calls for an end to violence between young men.
In a 48-second video released on Wednesday (20Jul16), the Compton rapper appears with LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, reading statistics about gun violence and promoting a message of positivity. According to Beck, last year (15) Los Angeles saw nearly 1,000 people shot, with almost 300 of them killed. He goes on to state that 80 per cent of the victims and 80 per cent of the shooters were young men from minority groups.
"We have to be more positive. We have to stop killing one another," implored The Game. "Humanity, it has to resurface. So this is my stand, a positive stand to unite. Let's unite, stop the violence. Be the change."
The video is the first in a new #StopTheViolence campaign that will feature more public figures sharing a message about the importance of dialogue and mutual accountability to make the city's communities stronger. Future videos will continue to feature celebrities, including athletes, actors and other well-known public figures, LAPD officials said.
"Far too many of our young men are victims of senseless shootings at the hand of suspects who look just like them," said Beck in a statement. "The time for change is here. The time to unify is now! Together we must stop the violence."
Earlier this month (Jul16), The Game, real name Jayceon Terrell Taylor, led a peaceful march to Los Angeles police headquarters with fellow rapper Snoop Dogg, where they met with Beck and Mayor Eric Garcetti to discuss the relationship between police and minority communities. The demonstration took place morning after a deadly attack on police in Dallas, Texas, and days after the high-profile police shootings of African-American men Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Minnesota and Louisiana.
