Chicago’s West and South sides are becoming a hotbed of talent for young emcees. Upstart young rappers like Chief Keef, Lil Reese, and Sasha Go Hard have all acquired considerable coverage due to their violent lyrics, which they claim reflect the crime-ridden neighborhoods they represent. While there may be no age limit to spit bars about drugs, sex, and guns, this kind of content should arguably be out of bounds for some.
theGrio: How rapper Chief Keef represents bloody Chicago culture
Enter 13-year-old Lil Mouse, the rap game’s latest Chicago infatuation. When most 13 year olds are getting ready to begin eighth grade this fall, Lil Mouse is creating sinister stories about the streets. His viral video, ‘Get Smoked,’ has over 300,000 views on YouTube and features Lil Mouse posing next to BMWs, handguns, and waving stacks of money in the air.
Lil Mouse’s buzz is so great that he caught the attention of Lil Wayne, who then featured the young rapper’s beats and verse on his latest mixtape Dedication 4, leading to rumors that Lil Mouse may sign with the rap star’s Young Money label.
Wayne entered the music business at the age of 15, so perhaps he sees potential in the teenager, but nevertheless it still is jarring to see a child seemingly glorify a lifestyle that is killing young black men in Chicago at a rapid rate.
Check out the controversial video here and let us know what you think in the comments below.
You can check out Kyle’s musical coverage on theGrio music page, and follow Kyle on Twitter at@HarveyWins.