PHILADELPHIA - A new challenge is taking off on social media and a local hip-hop artist says he created it as a way to save young lives.
Vinte "Arsin" Clemons is using his platform as a musician and activist to inspire the youth and spread peace and positivity after he says he lost 52 of his friends to violence. "I wanted to use it as a tool to hold other artists accountable for their voice in the culture," said Arsin. "Everything's on social media.
The drilling, it's a movement. The drill music, people killing each other, and I'm not against the trauma, pain, aggression because that's what hip hop is about, however I feel like what's being missed is the morals."The goal of the "Pray for Philly Challenge" (#PRAYFORPHILLYCHALLENGE) is to get other artists to use their words as a weapon against gun violence and violence-laced music, which some people argue is poisoning young people.
In the two weeks since launching the social media trend, 43 artists have signed on to bring awareness to the violence and addiction that's consuming the city.