San Jose Newspaper covers Snoop & Daz Dillinger

[DatNiggaDazisBack]

Hip-hop stars rally to save `Big Tookie' from execution
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/eye/13200273.htm?source=rss&channel=mercurynews_eye

By Davey D


With less than three weeks remaining before the scheduled Dec. 13 execution of Crips gang founder turned children's advocate Stan ``Tookie'' Williams, some of the biggest West Coast hip-hop stars are stepping up and speaking out on his behalf.

Snoop Dogg and Daz Dillinger will join hundreds of other activists on Saturday outside San Quentin at the Save the Peacemaker Rally for Williams, who was sentenced to death in 1981 for killing four people in two Los Angeles robberies.

Those taking part will be able to get the new compilation album ``Redemption -- Hip Hop United 2 Save Stan Tookie Williams,'' featuring dead prez, Paris, T-Kash, Frontline, Boo Ya Tribe, WC, Jt the Bigga Figga and Bicasso of Living Legends, to name a few.

Snoop, who headlines the event, may be joined by the Bay Area rappers who came out last week for a screening in the Bayview section of San Francisco of ``Redemption: The Stan `Tookie' Williams Story,'' an award-winning cable TV movie about Williams' life starring Jamie Foxx. Snoop's participation on Saturday will come as a welcome boost for many who've been wondering why more ``gangsta'' rappers of his stature aren't speaking out about Williams.

Daz and the Dogg Pound also have dedicated their new song and video ``Real Soon,'' featuring Jamie Foxx and Nate Dogg, to ``Big Tookie,'' who has garnered several Nobel Peace Prize nominations while on death row.

Snoop, Daz and the rest of the Dogg Pound camp are encouraging people to deluge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office with letters and petitions.

Recently, longtime rapper and former Ice Cube protege Kam gave us his perspective on how the law enforcement and penal systems deal with Los Angeles gang members, whether reformed or not.

Kam alleged that, after the Bloods and Crips laid down their arms and often-fatal grudges to implement a historic peace accord in the wake of the 1992 Rodney King riots, corrupt members of the Los Angeles Police Department tried to undermine that calm and incite gang violence.

The unwillingness of the authorities to recognize and support the peace initiative is one reason, Kam said, the he is not surprised the government has refused to overturn Williams' death sentence.

Kam, who spends much of his time inspiring young people in South L.A. to turn their lives around, has written moving songs about the peace effort, including the classic jam ``Peace Treaty.'' Arguing that Tookie's redemption is troublesome for a system that seeks to keep black people divided and confused, Kam says many within the system fear Tookie's influence and example.

This week, Daz released a statement urging the black and hip-hop communities to stand up for Big Tookie. ``God puts opportunities in our midst to test us and challenge us to see if we are willing to risk it all to do what's right,'' the statement says. ``I am willing to do what is right, and I am asking the hip-hop community and the black community, `Are you?' ''

Daz went on to urge these communities to take part in the Saturday rally.

His statement continued: ``Let's not just sit by, and cry later. Let's create history. . . . Just because Rosa Parks is no longer here doesn't mean we no longer have to stand up when we feel that there is an injustice. We need new Martin Luther King Jrs. and new Rosa Parkses to continue to challenge us all.''


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[UAK]

They're all dumbfucks, dude killed 4 innocent people.

He should be dead already.

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

Anyone deserves a second chance in my opinion, I mean He did his time and proved that he could be a good person , Its Hard to forget but we should forgive him since he's doing alot for the community, what people dont realize is that he could be a good model for the "Stop the violence" movement, he did it all saw it all so he's a good exemple for the upcoming generation...

[KURUPTION-81]

Sorry but i dont know too much on this topic. Did he only become "a good person" when he went to jail. Or was he already getting nobel peace prize nominations before he went to jail ?

Thing is a lot of people seem to find the right way once there locked up and cant do what they were doing before.

[DatNiggaDazisBack]

They're all dumbfucks, dude killed 4 innocent people.

He should be dead already.

Are you white?  Because usually whites don't have a problem flipping that switch on us.  Don't get emotional, just answer the question if you got time.Have you investigated the case?  Even the prosecuter said it was circumstantial evidence. Do you know what circumstantial means?  This is real shit, I am not trying to point out your flaws. I am trying to see if you are a biased white person that loves our music, but cant stand our people. Or are you just an ignorant person that likes giving opinions without investigation.

[UAK]

They're all dumbfucks, dude killed 4 innocent people.

He should be dead already.

Are you white?  Because usually whites don't have a problem flipping that switch on us.  Don't get emotional, just answer the question if you got time.Have you investigated the case?  Even the prosecuter said it was circumstantial evidence. Do you know what circumstantial means?  This is real shit, I am not trying to point out your flaws. I am trying to see if you are a biased white person that loves our music, but cant stand our people. Or are you just an ignorant person that likes giving opinions without investigation.

Just kill him already 

http://www.knowgangs.com/blog/tookie.htm

[Soulful]

he did his time

[africas seed]

everyone deservves a second chance
we all make mistakes although his were pretty harsh
he has shown that he is on the right path i mean the dude was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize
forgiveness was Gods greatest gift.lets use it

[Paul]

what was he gettin a nobel prize for?

that known gangs website really makes him look like a sick killer

[dexter]

Some of you need to go to a Hillbilly music site, FOR REAL.

[EFFeX]

Muh fukkaz are talking stupid... saying that everyone deserves a second chance. Would you want someone that murdered maybe your mother or your sister to have a second chance. Put yourself in the victims shoes, before you glorify violence.

[206wop]

Damn, i respect daz dillinger a whole lot more, and same with snoop. Kam is a savage for sayin what hes sayin, especially cause its so hard these days when everybody else is trrying to destroy the black race, (Thizz Dance, and just stupid gangsta rap) i hope people realize there is some dope shit goin down and get involved, but most people are too feeble minded and lazy to ever move their ass, props again to daz snoop and kam and to anyone else involved, Save Tookie Williams.

[Juronimo]

They're all dumbfucks, dude killed 4 innocent people.

He should be dead already.

Are you white?  Because usually whites don't have a problem flipping that switch on us.  Don't get emotional, just answer the question if you got time.Have you investigated the case?  Even the prosecuter said it was circumstantial evidence. Do you know what circumstantial means?  This is real shit, I am not trying to point out your flaws. I am trying to see if you are a biased white person that loves our music, but cant stand our people. Or are you just an ignorant person that likes giving opinions without investigation.

Some of you need to go to a Hillbilly music site, FOR REAL.

Damn, i respect daz dillinger a whole lot more, and same with snoop. Kam is a savage for sayin what hes sayin, especially cause its so hard these days when everybody else is trrying to destroy the black race, (Thizz Dance, and just stupid gangsta rap) i hope people realize there is some dope shit goin down and get involved, but most people are too feeble minded and lazy to ever move their ass, props again to daz snoop and kam and to anyone else involved, Save Tookie Williams.

[AndrE16686]

Considering his anti-violence work he conducted during his time in prison he should be excused from the death penalty. However this man murdered a family. For this he should have a life sentence. If this was possible he would still be able to carry-out his work as before while paying for his crimes, which in any other circumstance would deserve a death penalty.

Why does this man who has murdered a family have to be the initiator of peace? What about the high profile black celebrities that are not on deathrow, why dont they continue his work? Snoop and Daz just seem to be fishing for street cred, instead why dont they try to be role-models?

[T-Dogg]

I feel, that since he's obviously put in an effort to better the life of others (dude's nominated for a Nobel prize for God's sake!), he shouldn't be executed. BUT, that doesn't mean he should be set free, after all the crimes he commited are really severe. Some people seem to be confused by this - "saving Tookie" doesn't mean he should be freed, it means just that he shouldn't be killed. And I agree with that, considering that, like I said, he's put in a great effort for making the lives of others better.

As for Snoop and Daz and them - obviously this event came very conveniently for them, as they're preparing to release a new DPG project. But that doesn't mean that they're not sincere about this. They happen to be public figures, and they're using that stature to raise conciousness about the issue at hand - a man who has without a doubt affected the lives of others in a positive way, trying to pay the cost his negative actions caused. And it isn't like Snoop and them don't do public services themselves - they got the Snoop Youth Football League going and they're known to have donated their own money for charity before this.

Tookie has commited a serious offense, there's no denying that. He's in jail, and that's where he should be, we all got to pay the price for our actions. But considering the good things he's done after he's imprisonment, I'd say giving him the death penalty is too much. He should be allowed to continue his work, though from within prison walls.