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| Hip-hop mogul hopes to enlist Beyoncé and other stars in gun buyback program | Hip-hop mogul hopes to enlist Beyoncé and other stars in gun buyback program |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A hip-hop mogul who managed superstars including Outkast and Cee-Lo Green has put forward a plan to improve gun buyback initiatives in the US by offering mentorships and concert tickets to people who turn in weapons. | A hip-hop mogul who managed superstars including Outkast and Cee-Lo Green has put forward a plan to improve gun buyback initiatives in the US by offering mentorships and concert tickets to people who turn in weapons. |
| Michael "Blue" Williams, the head of Family Tree Entertainment, said he hopes to use his industry connections to make the program a success. He specifically hopes to enlist the help of American royalty Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who have New York concerts planned in the summer. | Michael "Blue" Williams, the head of Family Tree Entertainment, said he hopes to use his industry connections to make the program a success. He specifically hopes to enlist the help of American royalty Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who have New York concerts planned in the summer. |
| "The Beyoncé show is coming to Brooklyn; the Jay-Z show is coming to Yankee Stadium. Our goal is to reach out to individuals who are in my industry, in my world and who I have an association with and get their support," Williams told the New York Daily News. | "The Beyoncé show is coming to Brooklyn; the Jay-Z show is coming to Yankee Stadium. Our goal is to reach out to individuals who are in my industry, in my world and who I have an association with and get their support," Williams told the New York Daily News. |
| Guns for Greatness would be the first private gun buyback in New York City, though Williams would still enlist help from the police. Most buyback programs are sponsored by the government, and a slew of collections were made after the Newtown shooting in December. A San Francisco buyback was funded by an anonymous donor. | Guns for Greatness would be the first private gun buyback in New York City, though Williams would still enlist help from the police. Most buyback programs are sponsored by the government, and a slew of collections were made after the Newtown shooting in December. A San Francisco buyback was funded by an anonymous donor. |
| Williams met the NYPD on Friday and sent a written proposal for Guns to Greatness to the city's police commissioner, Raymond Kelly. | Williams met the NYPD on Friday and sent a written proposal for Guns to Greatness to the city's police commissioner, Raymond Kelly. |
| "This program aims to provide young people with an opportunity to receive guidance and inspiration from committed mentors, an important option that will enable them to experience possibilities other than a life surrounded by gun violence and unnecessary shootings and killing," the letter reads. | "This program aims to provide young people with an opportunity to receive guidance and inspiration from committed mentors, an important option that will enable them to experience possibilities other than a life surrounded by gun violence and unnecessary shootings and killing," the letter reads. |
| Williams hopes to attract young people to his gun buyback program and to provide them with an alternative to life with gun violence. | Williams hopes to attract young people to his gun buyback program and to provide them with an alternative to life with gun violence. |
| "In my perfect world, I'd love to have a gift package for signing up for the mentorship program that is worth way more than $250," Williams said. "I think that when you're dealing with younger people, you have to offer a little more to incentivize them." | "In my perfect world, I'd love to have a gift package for signing up for the mentorship program that is worth way more than $250," Williams said. "I think that when you're dealing with younger people, you have to offer a little more to incentivize them." |
| The letter was co-signed by community leaders including former federal prosecutor Kenneth Thompson. Guns for Greatness has also received support from record labels, New York City radio station Hot 97 and the International House of Pancakes. | The letter was co-signed by community leaders including former federal prosecutor Kenneth Thompson. Guns for Greatness has also received support from record labels, New York City radio station Hot 97 and the International House of Pancakes. |
| "We want to get as many guns off the streets, and if this works, we'd like to support it," Kelly told the New York Daily News. | "We want to get as many guns off the streets, and if this works, we'd like to support it," Kelly told the New York Daily News. |
| In New York, handguns and assault rifles can be dropped off anonymously 24 hours a day, seven days a week at any city precinct, in exchange for up to $250 – no questions asked. | In New York, handguns and assault rifles can be dropped off anonymously 24 hours a day, seven days a week at any city precinct, in exchange for up to $250 – no questions asked. |
| "The police commissioner supports gun buybacks; however, he has not reviewed the proposal," an NYPD spokeswoman told the Guardian. | "The police commissioner supports gun buybacks; however, he has not reviewed the proposal," an NYPD spokeswoman told the Guardian. |
| The spokeswoman said the NYPD has collected 8,648 weapons since the program's inception in July 2008. Last year, 941 weapons were collected. | The spokeswoman said the NYPD has collected 8,648 weapons since the program's inception in July 2008. Last year, 941 weapons were collected. |
| Though thousands of guns have been collected by gun buyback programs nationwide, some argue that such initiatives are an overly simple solution to a complex problem and don't attract the people most likely to commit serious gun violence. | Though thousands of guns have been collected by gun buyback programs nationwide, some argue that such initiatives are an overly simple solution to a complex problem and don't attract the people most likely to commit serious gun violence. |
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