A Tale of 2Chainz - Chris "Preach" Smith

By now, you’ve all heard about the rapper 2Chainz (formerly Tity Boi)
getting robbed at gunpoint out in San Francisco earlier this week. And
you’ve probably watched the survelliance video infamous ‘news’ site
TMZ put out on the web a few times. Now that we’ve gotten the jokes
mostly out of the way, there’s one or two things that need to be addressed
here.

First off, I noted from a couple of my people and other reactions on the
web one dominant thought: why are we making fun of him running?
It’s a valid point. If you’re rolling with a crew, purporetedly unarmed,
and cats run up on you with .357 Magnums(as claimed by his security
guard on a call to a radio station soon after), I don’t think it’s smart to
stand there and get lit up like you were in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Chainz broke out, and got away. Yeah he looked funny as hell doing it,
but he got away. There’s a few of you out there who have gotten guns
pulled on them in crazy situations. So have I. Your choice at the time
may be different than his. Perhaps this situation is just another reminder
that anyone can get got. Someone asked me on Twitter why he didn’t
have security. I assumed he didn’t, but it was apparent he has. But 
that doesn’t even protect you at times. Ask ‘Pac and Biggie. 

The second thing to consider is, this was probably an elaborate setup.
There is no possible way that these gunmen just popped up on the set
seeing 2Chainz and crew and decided to make a move, weapons ready.
In broad daylight. To me, that means some disgruntled weed carrier in
your crew has been telegraphing your movements. The security guard
who spoke out affrims that suspicion. And that should be a warning to
2Chainz and other rappers out there about their entourages. Just because
you call someone part of your team doesn’t mean they don’t want to
take your starting position. That’s why some of these cats with the 
large entourages strike some in the public as funny. They aren’t really
a buffer from harm when you get down to it. And it sets you up for
situations like these time and time again, from Jim Jones to Gunplay.

Ultimately, for 2Chainz, this was a bad week. Getting robbed and then
getting busted two days later at LAX with weed and medicine used to
make sizzurp? That qualifies. But this says a lot about his judgement.
You can’t allow yourself to think that your celebrity is going to be a
buffer against you doing stupid things. Or a buffer against people looking
to get you. Because not only are the streets watching, they are salivating.
Even more now because of the genre of ‘bling and baller’ rap that is
out there. What needs to happen for this man is, get your security team
tighter. Cut down on the hangers-on. Get your mind right. Otherwise there
may be another incident where he’ll be ‘Few Chainzzz’ once again. (Props
to Stress on that nickname.)