Twista released a statement today responding to McDonald's decision to cancel his appearance in the McDonald's Live Tour.

"I am very disappointed by McDonald's decision to cancel my participation in the McDonald's Live Tour. Being that Mcdonald's and I have worked together in the past, it was unsettling that I would be removed from the tour after undergoing the planning process and receiving assurances from McDonald's on multiple occasions that I would appear on the tour.

The recent trend of finger-pointing, and playing the blame game with certain media outlets and certain individuals needs to stop. We live in a society that advocates free speech. You want free speech? You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then our country's symbol has to be one of its citizens exercising their right to stand up and shout at the top of their lungs using words and telling stories that capture the reality of their day-to-day lives.

Not all art is suitable for every age, just as not every movie is suitable for every age which is why it's lawfully labeled with a "parental advisory" sticker. Ultimately, the "parental advisory" warning aides parents in their responsibility to police & guide their children, despite that it still should not discredit me or my music.

Art is a reflection of life. We tell stories about the culture and environment we grew up in, and unfortunately most of it isn't pretty. But for people to single me out as a negative individual because of that is both unfair and unnecessary. The media and certain individuals are painting this as a "hip-hop" issue when this transcends musical genres. Music and art have been a means of expression for hundreds of years.

Instead of playing the blame game and creating a "right" side and a "wrong" side, let's come together to find ways that reach inner city youth and do away with the gang and crime-infested environments where most of them grow up. Let's understand the challenges they face and what type of communities foster that. We have serious problems facing our communities and we need serious people to solve them.

I welcome Rev. Pfleger, Mcdonalds and anyone else concerned to mobilize change and help make a difference. We've spent enough time debating and talking about the problems. It is now time to begin working on the solution."

Source: Associated Press