leg·end
1. a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
2. an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.
When you look at Marcel Young (Vince Staples) you see an average height, sli...
If you're a voice for a community, then you're a voice for something more than yourself. I want to have an impact, because I don't want anybody to have to go through what I went through. -Vince Staples
Matika Long Beach, CA
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I sat in the audience with all of the kids from the community center. I was able to pull off the celebrity panel somehow without ever getting Marcel's help. I was able to get people like Snoop Dogg, YG, Schoolboy Q, and a couple of others to come out and speak. It was good and the kids actually came up with some good questions to ask them. I wanted to make it interactive so they can really learn something.
"Next we'll have Marcel. He's a recording artist signed to Def Jam. He's originally based out of Long Beach, California and was in the gang 2N Gangster Crip. So he's right from here. Marcel," when he came out people clapped as I immediately got an attitude.
"Who invited him?" I leaned in whispering to Venita.
"I did. He's a rapper and was in a gang. He met the criteria for speakers."
"Well, I don't want him at my charity event." I was about to stand up but she pushed me back down.
"Fuck you twos personal problems. This is about the kids. Marcel has a lot of insight and he articulates himself well. Let him speak." I smacked my lips sitting back as kids lined up at the podium to get their turn to ask questions. I knew she was right. The way he spoke is the number one reason I loved him so much. I felt like I learned something everytime we had a conversation. I looked at the stage seeing Marcel sitting behind the table. He looked at me, but I just looked away.
"What was life like before music? Like how did you end up in a gang?" A boy by the name of Shawn asked. I could honestly say I had a bond with every kid that comes into the community center. I just want to help them become better.
"I'm from Long Beach, California like you guys. Getting into gang stuff and all the things kids fall victim to is something that just happened. Gang life is just something that's apart of our community and where we come from. If you think about the history of black and Hispanic people in Los Angeles county or Southern California in general that's something we have culturally. With idle time and immaturity you fall into the wrong things, especially with the wrong guidance. If you have nothing better to do you often find time to do the wrong things. That's how that fell into play."
The next person in line came up and it was a girl named, Denisha. When I met her she was knocking whole dudes out getting into fights every week. Now she's one of the leaders telling the younger kids what to do when they're doing wrong. "How did you extract yourself from that?" Me and Venita looked at each other impressed.
"I don't think it's something you extract yourself from. I think it's something you move on from. For the simple fact that, these things aren't based in crime or wrong. Over time it does turn into that, I'm not dismissing that part. But these things are based in being a part of a certain community first and foremost. The only way to get away from that community is to literally leave the community or better the community."
