RAPPER C RAYZ WALZ FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE AND CHILD ENDANGERMENT CHARGES OVER A YEAR AGO- SOURCES LIKE HIPHOPDX, ALLHIPHOP FAIL THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN INVOLVED

C Rayz Walz plead guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in March of 2023. Almost a year later, and no sources have reported on the result of his case after giving him their public support.

In instances where collective responses and transformative justice allow and insist on the humanity and capacity for change, even in those who have caused the most egregious harms— we must always begin by explicitly, and fully acknowledging, the harm that has transpired, while always centering the experiences of survivors in the process of narration. The victims of Wahleed Shabazz, better known as rapper C Rayz Walz, have not received this publicly, at all, until now— almost four and a half years to the anniversary the arrest of his arrest.

In total, Walz faced, and plead guilty to, (32) charges of felony rape, assault, child endangerment, stalking, and intimidating a victim or a witness, but there is no disputing the actions of C Rayz Walz— there is no “allegedly” speaking, there is no benefit of the doubt to given when there is video evidence, when he accepted his guilty plea over a year ago, when there are the voices of multiple women who have spoken out about his abuse. In this case, there is only absolute fact, and therefore, C Rayz Walz must be denounced and condemned by Hip Hop. He should’ve been condemned, at least by the media, the moment his victims brought his abuse to light. If not then, then absolutely when charges were brought against him. All thirty-two (32) of his charges were covered by his plea deal— typically, in cases where charges are enhanced and repeated, the court will drop the charges that the defendant won’t plea to. This was not the case here. While he plead guilty to D felony assault with intent to Cause Physical Injury with a weapon and B Felony, kidnapping in 2nd degree, every single charge is still covered by his plea agreement. Not only was this clarified by the ADA at the time, but since this case had been public and wasn’t sealed by the courts, you can find the transcripts yourselves for clarification on this point.

Court: Bronx Supreme Court - Criminal Term, Case #: 02469-2019

some of the 32 charges include RAPE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, RAPE IN THE THIRD DEGREE, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT IN THE FIRST DEGREE, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, FORCIBLE TOUCHING, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, STRANGULATION IN THE SECOND DEGREE, CRIMINAL OBSTRUCTION OF BREATHING OR BLOOD CIRCULATION, ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD, STALKING IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, INTIMIDATING A VICTIM OR WITNESS IN THE THIRD DEGREE.

There is absolutely no reason, or justification, as to why C Rayz still has a platform, or why fans are still surprised to hear about the charges years later— but when certain narratives are pushed by media outlets, it starts to make a little more sense why he’s been able to still exist comfortably in spaces in Hip Hop— the horrific abuse committed by C Rayz Walz has yet to be amplified by, or to, the public.

HipHopDX, an online magazine dedicated to Hip Hop-related news (that was acquired by Warner Music Group in 2020), published this article by Kyle Eustice in March of 2020 when, to my knowledge, the charges brought against Walz became public. But instead of holding him accountable for his actions, discussing the importance of uplifting survivors, making any effort to find out any details of a very public, easily accessible case— or just reporting on the news in a neutral manner— the writer, Eustice, who I should note, for relevance, is a woman— goes on to spend more time garnering sympathy for C Rayz rather than using her journalistic integrity, her platform, or HipHopDX’s platform to remain neutral on a case that involves CHILDREN.

In the miracle that is the result of this case— a serial rapist actually being charged and justice being served in a world where this a rarity— there was still an obtuse miscarriage of justice in how the majority of the public failed to protect the survivors— in how HipHopDX gave platform to this abuser— in how Kyle Eustice, the woman who wrote two articles about Walz, one of which includes a link where readers could support the abuser, never wrote about the actualities of the case— how she never, at very least, as a “journalist,” revisited this topic she had originally reported on with the staggering fact that, there was so much evidence, the court couldn’t drop any of the charges even WITH his plea deal— and how, at the very least, as a woman, she never acknowledged or made space for the victims or the children involved.

HipHopDX doesn’t condemn rapists, they crowdfund for them. There was no care, no consideration, and absolutely no due diligence in publishing the actual facts of this case, that again, were, and still are very public. How many writers or editors did these two articles have to go through before being published? How many people were complicit in this? If C Rayz Walz didn’t accept his plea deal, he would’ve had to register as a sex offender— anyone who was actually following the case would’ve known this. Kyle Eustice, who is now reporting on Diddy’s recent lawsuit (that also deals with the subject of child endangerment, rape, and sexual assault)— painted Walz as a “a caring person and has always been committed to teaching and uplifting the youth,” AllHipHop went as far as saying “Walz seems like a good dad and a solid man,” citing this Instagram post that Eustice also included in her article, which shows a photo of him embracing several children who are huddled around him; but I have to ask… when we cite the footage, taken by Walz himself, of the hours long assault that showed the ways Walz tortured and violently raped one of his victims— what conclusions can we draw there? When the evidence is tangible, in our face, and irrefutable— what’s done then? What’s done when I also add that Walz proudly circulated amongst multiple members of the Hip Hop community?

AllHipHop, HipHopDX, Kyle Eustice should be held responsible for perpetuating a dangerous, false narrative that resulted in the harassment, intimidation, and threats that the victims faced during trial. They are absolutely complicit in crafting and publishing a narrative that puts not only the victims in direct harm, but potentially puts women and other children at risk for dissuading the public from his 32 charges, that agagim, include child endangerment and felony rape— and the silence of these platforms after Walz was sentenced is the only evidence needed to support this. This was not innocent, justifiable reporting. This was direct and complete support.

All of those who have chosen the side of C Rayz Walz either in direct support, or in silence, should be absolutely ashamed of themselves and held responsible. In March of 2023, C Rayz Walz plead guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Almost a year later, and no new sources have reported on the result of his case, or acknowledged having respect for any of the victims involved.

C Rayz Walz must be publicly condemned and de-platformed from all forms of media. Detailed public apologies must be issued to the victims. Those articles need to not only be rescinded, but re-written correctly, with the facts of the case included.

I refuse to live in a world that is committed to continuously betraying its survivors.

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Some of C Rayz Walz’ charges include KIDNAPPING IN THE SECOND DEGREE, UNLAWFUL IMPRISONMENT IN THE FIRST DEGREE, RAPE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, RAPE IN THE THIRD DEGREE, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT IN THE FIRST DEGREE, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE FIRST DEGREE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, FORCIBLE TOUCHING, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE, CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, STRANGULATION IN THE SECOND DEGREE, CRIMINAL OBSTRUCTION OF BREATHING OR BLOOD CIRCULATION, ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, STALKING IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT IN THE SECOND DEGREE, INTIMIDATING A VICTIM OR WITNESS IN THE THIRD DEGREE.