It Was Written: Music Stars Who Penned Open Letters

Kendrick, Jeezy, T.I. and more who addressed the public.

Tupac Inspired - Kendrick Lamar is the latest MC to scribe an open letter and this one was to Tupac 19 years after his murder. Thanking his hero, he penned:"I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED. The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen. Thank you, K.L."As Kendrick shares his thoughts and feeling about Makaveli, read more open letters that some of your favorite musicians addressed to the public. -Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA) (Photo: Hamed Hazel via Instagram)

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Tupac Inspired - Kendrick Lamar is the latest MC to scribe an open letter and this one was to Tupac 19 years after his murder. Thanking his hero, he penned:"I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED. The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen. Thank you, K.L."As Kendrick shares his thoughts and feeling about Makaveli, read more open letters that some of your favorite musicians addressed to the public. -Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA) (Photo: Hamed Hazel via Instagram)

Jeezy Goes In - The Snowman addressed the people with an open letter this week and took a look at society’s ills along with his latest track "God." In his open-letter he stated:“With the poverty level at an all time high, it’s damn near impossible for one to take care of him or herself without the possibility of prison or death. You have law enforcement officials gunning down unarmed black men. You have misinformed young men gunning down unarmed women, children and men in churches, movie theaters and public events. There’s a war going on, but you have to ask yourself, who is the enemy?They ask why you black males are so militant? My answer to that would be because they are making us soldiers. Soldiers in a war on humanity. We have nothing to lose and everything to fight for. We are fighting for our people; we are fighting for our right to live…”(Photo: Michael Kovac...

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Jeezy Goes In - The Snowman addressed the people with an open letter this week and took a look at society’s ills along with his latest track "God." In his open-letter he stated:“With the poverty level at an all time high, it’s damn near impossible for one to take care of him or herself without the possibility of prison or death. You have law enforcement officials gunning down unarmed black men. You have misinformed young men gunning down unarmed women, children and men in churches, movie theaters and public events. There’s a war going on, but you have to ask yourself, who is the enemy?They ask why you black males are so militant? My answer to that would be because they are making us soldiers. Soldiers in a war on humanity. We have nothing to lose and everything to fight for. We are fighting for our people; we are fighting for our right to live…”(Photo: Michael Kovac...

Paris Calls For Reformation Of Gun Laws - West Coast veteran Paris used his pen to address gun violence in July when he wrote an open-letter in The Washington Post. Seeing friends and his community ravished with gun related deaths over the years, he got right to the point with: "Guns are the disregarded public health emergency ravaging my community — the black community — but without reform of America’s gun laws, and an acknowledgement that people are dying while the gun industry profits, this will continue to be my community’s holocaust."(Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Paris Calls For Reformation Of Gun Laws - West Coast veteran Paris used his pen to address gun violence in July when he wrote an open-letter in The Washington Post. Seeing friends and his community ravished with gun related deaths over the years, he got right to the point with: "Guns are the disregarded public health emergency ravaging my community — the black community — but without reform of America’s gun laws, and an acknowledgement that people are dying while the gun industry profits, this will continue to be my community’s holocaust."(Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Lupe's Ghost Tales - Lupe Fiasco addressed Meek Mill and Drake's beef over ghostwriting and spoke to both artists in his two-part open letter "The Haunting" on IG. Some of his points included:"...Ghostwriting, or borrowing lines, or taking suggestions from the room has always been in rap and will always be in rap. It is nothing to go crazy over or be offended about unless you are someone who postures him or herself on the importance of authenticity and tries to portray that quality to your fans or the public at large. Then we might have a problem. Some of the most pivotal moments in rap have been ghostwritten verses..."(Photos from left: Splash News, Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Hangout Festival, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Lupe's Ghost Tales - Lupe Fiasco addressed Meek Mill and Drake's beef over ghostwriting and spoke to both artists in his two-part open letter "The Haunting" on IG. Some of his points included:"...Ghostwriting, or borrowing lines, or taking suggestions from the room has always been in rap and will always be in rap. It is nothing to go crazy over or be offended about unless you are someone who postures him or herself on the importance of authenticity and tries to portray that quality to your fans or the public at large. Then we might have a problem. Some of the most pivotal moments in rap have been ghostwritten verses..."(Photos from left: Splash News, Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Hangout Festival, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Russell Simmons Puts Don Lemon on Blast - Russell Simmons called Don Lemon’s views into question when he sided with FOX News pundits when they spoke on Black issues. Uncle Rush started the letter holding no punches:“Dear Don, I got a chance to see what you said over the weekend about Black America. At first I thought it was Fox News, but then I remembered you're a CNN dude. I have nothing against Fox News, as Roger Ailes is my man, but the gospel you were preaching sounded like O'Reilly and Hannity were pulling your strings…”(Photos from left: Steve Granitz/WireImage,Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Starz)

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Russell Simmons Puts Don Lemon on Blast - Russell Simmons called Don Lemon’s views into question when he sided with FOX News pundits when they spoke on Black issues. Uncle Rush started the letter holding no punches:“Dear Don, I got a chance to see what you said over the weekend about Black America. At first I thought it was Fox News, but then I remembered you're a CNN dude. I have nothing against Fox News, as Roger Ailes is my man, but the gospel you were preaching sounded like O'Reilly and Hannity were pulling your strings…”(Photos from left: Steve Granitz/WireImage,Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Starz)

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Jidenna Gives a Classic Apology - Jidenna apologized to his Nigerian people after his comments that light-skinned Nigerians were prone to being kidnapped for ransom had some taking offense. Taking pride in his kin, the classic man explained:“I am, always have been, and always will be proud of my Nigerian heritage. I understand the pain and anger caused by some of the comments I made in a recent interview, and I wanted to address you directly. Contrary to popular belief, this interview was not the first in which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact, I’m frequently bragging about how Nigerians attend the world’s most prestigious institutions, and how we are known to produce world class doctors, entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers, engineers, professors, athletes and artists…”(Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images)

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Jidenna Gives a Classic Apology - Jidenna apologized to his Nigerian people after his comments that light-skinned Nigerians were prone to being kidnapped for ransom had some taking offense. Taking pride in his kin, the classic man explained:“I am, always have been, and always will be proud of my Nigerian heritage. I understand the pain and anger caused by some of the comments I made in a recent interview, and I wanted to address you directly. Contrary to popular belief, this interview was not the first in which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact, I’m frequently bragging about how Nigerians attend the world’s most prestigious institutions, and how we are known to produce world class doctors, entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers, engineers, professors, athletes and artists…”(Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images)

Lauryn Hill Educates the Fans on America's Racist Past  - Lauryn Hill blamed America’s racial woes as the cause of her tax problems when she opened up to her fans on Tumblr before serving a mini-bid for back taxes. She got direct in her open letter and wrote:"I shuddered during sentencing when I kept hearing the term ‘make the IRS whole’… make the IRS whole, knowing that I got into these very circumstances having to deal with the very energies of inequity and resistance that created and perpetuated these savage inequalities. The entire time, I thought, who has made black people whole?! Who has made recompense for stealing, imposing, lying, murdering, criminalizing the traumatized, taking them against their wills, destroying their homes, dividing their communities, ‘trying’ to steal their destinies, their time, stagnating their development, I could go on and on. Has Ameri...

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Lauryn Hill Educates the Fans on America's Racist Past  - Lauryn Hill blamed America’s racial woes as the cause of her tax problems when she opened up to her fans on Tumblr before serving a mini-bid for back taxes. She got direct in her open letter and wrote:"I shuddered during sentencing when I kept hearing the term ‘make the IRS whole’… make the IRS whole, knowing that I got into these very circumstances having to deal with the very energies of inequity and resistance that created and perpetuated these savage inequalities. The entire time, I thought, who has made black people whole?! Who has made recompense for stealing, imposing, lying, murdering, criminalizing the traumatized, taking them against their wills, destroying their homes, dividing their communities, ‘trying’ to steal their destinies, their time, stagnating their development, I could go on and on. Has Ameri...

Chingo Bling Fires Off on Donald Trump - Chingo Bling flipped on Donald Trump and thanked the presidential candidate for getting Mexicans to rally around a common goal which is to make sure he doesn’t get elected. Calling for his people to get ready to turn out to the voting polls, Chingo stated:“For the greater good and future of the Mexican community you chose not to kiss our a**, but offend us. Because nothing motivates Mexicans more than being offended….You will be credited with changing us from a people with no true leadership to a community that is ultra-organized and mobilized. THANK YOU DONALD.”(Photos from left:Jason Davis/Getty Images, Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Bud Light and Budweiser)

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Chingo Bling Fires Off on Donald Trump - Chingo Bling flipped on Donald Trump and thanked the presidential candidate for getting Mexicans to rally around a common goal which is to make sure he doesn’t get elected. Calling for his people to get ready to turn out to the voting polls, Chingo stated:“For the greater good and future of the Mexican community you chose not to kiss our a**, but offend us. Because nothing motivates Mexicans more than being offended….You will be credited with changing us from a people with no true leadership to a community that is ultra-organized and mobilized. THANK YOU DONALD.”(Photos from left:Jason Davis/Getty Images, Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Bud Light and Budweiser)

Game Clears the Air - Game expressed his feelings and drama with his ex Tiffney Cambridge in April 2014 and revealed the baby mama drama he was living through:“Doing the best I can not to break.. But it’s funny how someone you’ve done so much for can be so ugly & cruel as to keep my children away from me vindictively because I’ve decided to move on with my life. I love all 3 of my kids more than life itself & it’s one thing to keep me away from them…”(Photo: Mike Windle/Getty Images for Equinox)

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Game Clears the Air - Game expressed his feelings and drama with his ex Tiffney Cambridge in April 2014 and revealed the baby mama drama he was living through:“Doing the best I can not to break.. But it’s funny how someone you’ve done so much for can be so ugly & cruel as to keep my children away from me vindictively because I’ve decided to move on with my life. I love all 3 of my kids more than life itself & it’s one thing to keep me away from them…”(Photo: Mike Windle/Getty Images for Equinox)

Photo By Photo: Mike Windle/Getty Images for Equinox

Meek Mill Explains to His Son How He Became Self-Made - Meek crafted a letter to his first born with TIME Magazine during Father’s Day weekend and explained to lil' Papi why he grinds so hard to take care of him:“I never had a strong male figure in my life. I didn’t have that person to teach me things fathers teach their sons because my father was killed when I was young. It was just me, my mom, and my sister, so I had to be the man of the house. When I was younger, I remember being able to speak to my father and then in the blink of an eye, he was gone… I still miss my dad, and I always will. Growing up without a father made me realize just how special time is with my son and how much of an impact I can have on his life…”(Photo: Meek Mill via Instagram)

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Meek Mill Explains to His Son How He Became Self-Made - Meek crafted a letter to his first born with TIME Magazine during Father’s Day weekend and explained to lil' Papi why he grinds so hard to take care of him:“I never had a strong male figure in my life. I didn’t have that person to teach me things fathers teach their sons because my father was killed when I was young. It was just me, my mom, and my sister, so I had to be the man of the house. When I was younger, I remember being able to speak to my father and then in the blink of an eye, he was gone… I still miss my dad, and I always will. Growing up without a father made me realize just how special time is with my son and how much of an impact I can have on his life…”(Photo: Meek Mill via Instagram)

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C-Murder Airs Out Master P - C-Murder sent an open letter from the pen in 2014 while fighting his murder conviction and aired out his issues in public with his big brother Master P. Claiming the Colonel abandoned him, C-Murder explained:“…I was taught and raised that your bloodline will be there through thick and thin. Even when the entire wicked world and fake friends condemn and abandon you at your darkest moments. And being in prison for life, means until you die. Until your heart stops beating and your body turns cold. This is a time to come together and support, unconditionally. Not for finger-pointing and ridicule."Even as I truthfully and passionately claim my innocence, I’m forced to entertain the blasphemy and silly lies of the one I believed in and looked up to the most. Who not only betrayed me but turned his back on my kids. My three angels…”(Photos from left:&nbs...

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C-Murder Airs Out Master P - C-Murder sent an open letter from the pen in 2014 while fighting his murder conviction and aired out his issues in public with his big brother Master P. Claiming the Colonel abandoned him, C-Murder explained:“…I was taught and raised that your bloodline will be there through thick and thin. Even when the entire wicked world and fake friends condemn and abandon you at your darkest moments. And being in prison for life, means until you die. Until your heart stops beating and your body turns cold. This is a time to come together and support, unconditionally. Not for finger-pointing and ridicule."Even as I truthfully and passionately claim my innocence, I’m forced to entertain the blasphemy and silly lies of the one I believed in and looked up to the most. Who not only betrayed me but turned his back on my kids. My three angels…”(Photos from left:&nbs...

Busta Thanks His Conglomerate of Fans - This past January, Busta wrote a letter thanking the fans, DJs and other supporters for getting behind his Conglomerate Entertainment label. The Leader of The New School expressed:“1st things 1st, I want to thank every single DJ from the clubs to the radio, every radio station, program director, every radio personality, every blogger, every website, every media outlet, all of television and last but not least EVERY SINGLE FAN for the love and the support that you all have given us by becoming such a strong and collective support system in helping us give to you our new incredible artist O.T. Genasis and his smash hit single “Coco” which is now approaching GOLD!!” (Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

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Busta Thanks His Conglomerate of Fans - This past January, Busta wrote a letter thanking the fans, DJs and other supporters for getting behind his Conglomerate Entertainment label. The Leader of The New School expressed:“1st things 1st, I want to thank every single DJ from the clubs to the radio, every radio station, program director, every radio personality, every blogger, every website, every media outlet, all of television and last but not least EVERY SINGLE FAN for the love and the support that you all have given us by becoming such a strong and collective support system in helping us give to you our new incredible artist O.T. Genasis and his smash hit single “Coco” which is now approaching GOLD!!” (Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Nas Speaks on the American Way - Nas took his pen to Instagram in June and addressed America’s racial problem. God’s Son looked at how the United States’ dream turned to a nightmare with:“America has spent so much time, money & resources fighting wars abroad and completely fell asleep at the wheel of the war brewing within our cities, neighborhoods & blocks. We are supposed to stand for freedom & equal opportunity. That's supposed to mean MORE than just words but the actions of late just don't speak to what we are supposed to stand for. This is BIGGER than BLACK and WHITE. This is about America selling a false dream.”(Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Sprite)

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Nas Speaks on the American Way - Nas took his pen to Instagram in June and addressed America’s racial problem. God’s Son looked at how the United States’ dream turned to a nightmare with:“America has spent so much time, money & resources fighting wars abroad and completely fell asleep at the wheel of the war brewing within our cities, neighborhoods & blocks. We are supposed to stand for freedom & equal opportunity. That's supposed to mean MORE than just words but the actions of late just don't speak to what we are supposed to stand for. This is BIGGER than BLACK and WHITE. This is about America selling a false dream.”(Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Sprite)

Wale Declares Black Girls Are Pretty Too - Wale stood up for his lotus flower bombs in January and called out Hollywood for its sexualized and overly dramatic depiction of Black women. The DC rhymer professed:"I have honestly been sick and tired of our representation in the entertainment world. I feel like they curve 'us' as a whole... My question is: What happened to Hollywood? I remember Lisa Bonet and a plethora of other beautiful Black women on 'Different World.' I remember princess Jada [Pinkett]. I used to daydream about her. I was only in elementary school but when I first saw Jada I was in love. Nothing about this princess screamed, “Sex!” My mind was allowed to play with the idea of what lies under this fully clothed “around the way” girl...Black women were represented in such a way that they were not hyper-sexualized objects created by doctors with the sole intent t...

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Wale Declares Black Girls Are Pretty Too - Wale stood up for his lotus flower bombs in January and called out Hollywood for its sexualized and overly dramatic depiction of Black women. The DC rhymer professed:"I have honestly been sick and tired of our representation in the entertainment world. I feel like they curve 'us' as a whole... My question is: What happened to Hollywood? I remember Lisa Bonet and a plethora of other beautiful Black women on 'Different World.' I remember princess Jada [Pinkett]. I used to daydream about her. I was only in elementary school but when I first saw Jada I was in love. Nothing about this princess screamed, “Sex!” My mind was allowed to play with the idea of what lies under this fully clothed “around the way” girl...Black women were represented in such a way that they were not hyper-sexualized objects created by doctors with the sole intent t...

T.I. Pulls Out His Pen and Pad After Ferguson Uprisings - In the wake of the Ferguson uprisings last year, The King of the South addressed America’s racial issue head on with his letter to the country. His testimony included:“Look at us….America has created a monster. The result of ignoring & mishandling an already fragile spirited, recently enslaved, presently oppressed race/generation of people. Look at us. We’re the monster that now refuses to be dismissed, overlooked and ignored... Look at us. How long can u expect a nation/race/generation of people to be blatantly disrespected?...” (Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

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T.I. Pulls Out His Pen and Pad After Ferguson Uprisings - In the wake of the Ferguson uprisings last year, The King of the South addressed America’s racial issue head on with his letter to the country. His testimony included:“Look at us….America has created a monster. The result of ignoring & mishandling an already fragile spirited, recently enslaved, presently oppressed race/generation of people. Look at us. We’re the monster that now refuses to be dismissed, overlooked and ignored... Look at us. How long can u expect a nation/race/generation of people to be blatantly disrespected?...” (Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

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Bow Wow's Confessions - Bow Wow revealed to his fans his thoughts about suicide and how the birth of his daughter Shai changed his life. He got candid on his site BowWowToday in 2011 and explained:"Let me start off by saying i love my fans. With out yall i wudda been left the game. For the past 3 years i been batteling life. Even thought about taking my own. I felt like as a kid i did everything and saw everything too fast which spoiled my adult years. I felt as if i had no purpose to live(Thinking selfishly) until god gave me the illest gift of my life. No lambo, no blk card nuffn ammounts to my lil girl. I waited so long to tell yall the truth because i was nervous on how yall would look at me. Yall know everyone makes a big deal out of everything i do…”(Photo: Shad Moss via Instagram)

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Bow Wow's Confessions - Bow Wow revealed to his fans his thoughts about suicide and how the birth of his daughter Shai changed his life. He got candid on his site BowWowToday in 2011 and explained:"Let me start off by saying i love my fans. With out yall i wudda been left the game. For the past 3 years i been batteling life. Even thought about taking my own. I felt like as a kid i did everything and saw everything too fast which spoiled my adult years. I felt as if i had no purpose to live(Thinking selfishly) until god gave me the illest gift of my life. No lambo, no blk card nuffn ammounts to my lil girl. I waited so long to tell yall the truth because i was nervous on how yall would look at me. Yall know everyone makes a big deal out of everything i do…”(Photo: Shad Moss via Instagram)

Chris Brown's Heart-to-Heart With Himself - On May 28 of this year, Chris Brown revealed some of his emotions on IG and admitted he suffers from self-hate. Taking control of his actions as well, his openness included:“I'm Konfuzed, I always thought I knew the concept of love. Fame and Money can get in the way of that. Most of my issues always deal with love and me being in my feelings. Not to mention me being a dog sometimes. I can't speak for everyone but I can say that my actions contributed a lot to my karma…”(Photo: Janet Mayer / Splash News)

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Chris Brown's Heart-to-Heart With Himself - On May 28 of this year, Chris Brown revealed some of his emotions on IG and admitted he suffers from self-hate. Taking control of his actions as well, his openness included:“I'm Konfuzed, I always thought I knew the concept of love. Fame and Money can get in the way of that. Most of my issues always deal with love and me being in my feelings. Not to mention me being a dog sometimes. I can't speak for everyone but I can say that my actions contributed a lot to my karma…”(Photo: Janet Mayer / Splash News)