Lil' Mouse - The Innocence of a Child, or a P.R. Stint?

Lil' Mouse

There is a fine line between art, creativity, free speech and keep it real; but when you see a so called 13 year old kid rapping in a way he is glorying the culture streets of Chicago as well talking about sexual intercourse then you realize if this's a publicity stunt or the parents of a kid who don't have any kind of moral or paternal skills. That's the life of Chicago based rapper Lil' Mouse.

Unfortunately there hasn't been a public outcry on the why's and whats of Lil' Mouse behavior because if a 13 years old say a bunch of vulgarities , promoting a shallow lifestyle and woman abuse there should be the intervention of social services. His recent video Get Smoked video has reached around 300.000 views so far on Youtube but it has a margin of almost 3.000 people who dislike the video and around 3.000 negatives comments overall made you wonder if this video got the great amount of views by buying them.

It's not an uncommon phenomenon to buy views, albeit it's illegal it can reach the Youtubers on the top 10 list of the day and get extra attention they want, that's why it's difficult to believe the views of this video aren't staged based on the juxtaposition of the statistics and comments. 

There are several points to compare which right now the critique received by Snoop Dog and Kanye are ridicule compared to what Lil' Mouse promoters are doing in placing a kid in the middle of the spotlight in such a negative way. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Lil' Mouse lives in Roseland, Chicago; a district that is plagued by violence and gang activity, which made you wonder if the intentions behind the video are to keep it real.? Because at the end the kids are going to get exposed to the real world no matter what and maybe Lil' Mouse it's reflecting that.? Difficult to say yes, it's difficult for a kid to become involved in violence  that is exposed on the imagery of this video, albeit not far-fetched as people on the gangs are involved in younger age, but when you see the glamour of this video you can realize the p.r. stint behind Lil' Mouse but yet it's a negative impact he is creating to the African and Hispanic youths.

- I'm rolling, all my niggas rolling. 30 clip and them hollow tips have his ass sitting in Roseland Floating of a pill, pussy bad'll kill My niggas in the field; you might get killed.. - When you hear and listen all these kinds of nonsense and filthy words coming out from a child mouth then you realize it is the fault of the parents and no one else, but when you see the sociological factors even if the parents are trying to sell the reality of their environment it becomes worse because of their lack of morals. 

Rapper, Che "Rhymefest" Smith, who also engages in politics as he is well known for trying to get a seat in the municipal assembly on the 20th Ward, expressed that the lyrics of Lil' Mouse about sex and violence are representing a "new culture of rap music from Chicago that is glorifying violence and drugs." yet is not new because that itself it's gangsta rap and the words coming from a child don't make the situation new they made it worse to the point humiliating the African-American culture who are trying to distance themselves from this shameful movement.

A Colombian-American in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay, Downtown View

It's been three years, five months so far and probably 8 days. I stop counting a while ago, it's probably a little bit more but I don't mind, I stop counting a while ago when I realize how lucky I am to have the chance to grow up and live in two different places that have one thing in common, the views of the Caribbean and the winds that go North to South are the same ones that washed my tears when I was younger.

I am from Cartagena, then I am from Colombia, also I am from Brandon, Florida; and, also I am from the United States. I am in between, the best way I can describe it, but overall I like to say I am a guy, with a sexy accent who has no nationalities but two places that he can call home. I am a Colombian, an American living in Tampa Bay but overall I am Gustavo, Gus or Gus-Gus for short, I am who I am.

Starting over with you life it ain't easy, specially being a foreigner, living outside where you grew up can be challenging; language is another factor as well certain attitudes of people toward individuals who don't share certain traits; names, a long non American can be a problem toward finding a job if you don't have the right credentials, it's a process that no one is really prepared for, it's a hell in the best way possible, but things get better, they get better eventually if you work hard. You know dear reader, the American Dream is not dead, it's probably dead in the heart of the people who gave up, but not in the hearts of the people who go outside and fight for their dreams and to see their communities better, that's the American Dream, to go out and fight for your beliefs.

Culturally, there are different factor as well basic differences, such one between Colombia and the States, people do respect more public spaces and you can walk on more space as driving is far more safer than driving in any street of Cartagena. How you deal with people it's another aspect; in Colombia is far more easy, people are more informal but use more honorific while in the States people are less informal but you have to be careful with personal space as well with vocabulary. Those small differences can be problematic if you are not careful or know the cultural ethic codes which they vary from region to region.

It's been quite a process, do I regret living it? No, I don't, even in the worse moments of my beginnings I realize how much wonderful the process was because I was learning and I'm still. 3 years ago I have to be honest, I barely spoke the language, or knew anything about being independent, but between tears and not tiaras, I learned how to become the man I always wanted to be before moving my from my grandparents house.