BY TODD MAISEL & ROSE
ADAMS
George Floyd’s brother
urged young Brooklynites
to put a stop to gun violence
during the unveiling of a 12-
foot-tall mural of rapper Pop
Smoke, who died in May after
a targeted shooting.
“If you never hear it from
anyone else, I love you. Put
the guns down,” said Terrence
Floyd, whose brother was
killed by a Minneapolis police
offi cer in May. “Protecting
your family is different than
shooting your own people just
to get a rep — it’s not cool.”
Dozens of locals, family
members, and friends gathered
for the ceremony on Aug. 31 to
honor the 20-year-old Canarsie
rapper, whose hit songs “Welcome
to the Party” and “Dior”
swept the nation, reaching the
top fi ve and one spots on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The rising star’s quick ascent
was cut short in February,
COURIER L 14 IFE, SEPT. 11-17, 2020
when a group of gunmen
fatally shot him in his California
rental home. Four teens
were charged with the murder
in July.
Canarsie artist Kenny Altidor,
42, said locals urged him
to erect a tribute for beloved
rapper, who has become a
source of pride for the Canarsie
community.
“People here asked me to
paint his mural. They loved
the guy and so I’m just giving
back to the community,” Altidor
said in July. “My message
in painting and paying tribute
to him is a message of peace,
love and unity among African-
Americans.”
Altidor added that Pop
Smoke’s mural — located on E.
80th Street and Flatlands Avenue
beside a mural of George
Floyd — serves to remind the
community of the rapper’s
death and to call for an end to
gun violence.
“This mural was done to
pay tribute to Pop Smoke,
but at the same time to send
a message to the community
to stop the violence. We need
to stop that, guys. Enough is
enough. Black lives matter,
like George’s brother says, we
have to love each other, guys.”
During the memorial,
Floyd played a video his late
brother George Floyd sent
him, where he decries the gun
violence that claimed the life
of his and Terrence’s nephew.
“Your generation is clearly
lost, man,” George is heard
saying in the clip. “Y’all are
just going around busting guns
in crowds, kids getting killed.”
Famed civil rights lawyer
Sanford Rubenstein said the
memorial site for Pop Smoke
and George Floyd could become
an important center for
people mourning gun and police
violence citywide.
“George Floyd died as a
result of police violence and
here we have Pop Smoke who
Friends embraced during the mural dedication of Pop Smoke in Canarsie.
Photo by Todd Maisel
died of gun violence – so this
will be a memorial corner for
all of the people in this city,”
Rubenstein said. “Each of us
here must pledge ourselves to
stop gun violence – too many
lives being taken, especially a
life like Pop Smoke.”
Monique Waterman of the
non-profi t East Flatbush Village
for at-risk youth, offered
her expertise to anyone who
needs assistance with job
searching or mental health.
“Given the proper education
and opportunities we will
have a community that will
thrive, but we have an oppressive
system,” Waterman said.
“I’m not making excuses for
our community members, but
without the proper funds and
resources, we will continually
see gun violence.”
‘Put the guns down’
George Floyd’s brother speaks at mural
unveiling for rapper Pop Smoke in Canarsie
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