Philadelphia resident Douglas Rucker wrote and directed “Yo, Put The Gun Down,” a hip-hop symphony addressing the issues related to the gun violence happening in the communities of Philadelphia. The musical follows the story of inmate Thelonious Jr. He tells his story about gun violence while serving a life term for an act he committed when he was 19 years old. By creating this play, Rucker hopes that it will engage more with children and young adults living in the city.
The play includes hip-hop dancers, rap artists, singers, musicians, and spoken word artists. Cast members include singer and songwriter Ashley Super as lead vocalist, Charmaine Mills, also known as Char’Dae Rap, performing as herself and playing Miss Blue.
In this podcast, Rucker, Super, and Mills explain their roles in the symphony and discuss the importance of addressing the issues of gun violence in the city.
“Yo, Put The Gun Down” will take place at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 10th and December 11th of 2021. Tickets are available here.
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