Typically, art imitates life.  But, with Rap music, the opposite is true... life imitates art, and oftentimes, with dire consequences.  

In other words, "keepin' it real" usually goes wrong.

Recently released video from a Bronx bodega, where two aspiring rappers where filming a no-budget video, shows one rapper pumping multiple, close range shots into his rap partner, then pistol-whipping him as he laid on the floor in critical condition — all without spilling his drink. (WARNING: Extremely violent video).

Adding insult to injury, the shooter and his entourage then calmly stepped over the 37-year-old victim, and exited stage left — so to speak.

According to store’s owner, the rappers “were fighting over who’s the star, who’s better. They were drunk. They spit at each other then one guy pulled out a gun and shot the other guy five times.'

A man who claimed to be friends with both men said, “They had what you call ‘artistic differences,’ and, unfortunately, that’s how it was resolved.”

For the average citizen, it’s unfathomable that “artistic differences” could have sparked such a despicable and primitive display of conflict resolution.

However, as emphasized in my book, “The Un-Civil War: Blacks vs Ni**ers,"  there is a sociopathic subculture that fearlessly exists within the African-American community, and their hair-trigger temper routinely yield fierce (even deadly) ‘chest-beating contests’ over trivialities.  In fact, a simple web search will confirm the seemingly infinite amount of senseless shootings and/or assaults stemming from “someone staring at someone” or “someone disrespecting someone.”

In their violent and dysfunctional subculture, life is a cheap commodity.

Despite this reality, the bleeding hearts would rather believe that this entire incident could have been avoided had someone reminded the shooter about New York’s gun ban.

As far as the shooting victim, I guess we’ll have to wait until their makeshift video premiers on B.E.T or World Star Hip Hop to see if he made the final cut.

Taleeb Starkes is the author of an Amazon #1 Best Seller that confronts the subculture within the BLACK community titled, "THE UN-CIVIL WAR: BLACKS vs NI**ERS."  Find @TaleebStarkes on Twitter