16-year-old uses his musical talents to speak out against growing trend of violence amongst youth

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A high school student says young people need more positive messages in their music and he is doing his part. The Dacula High School junior has recorded an anti-violence rap song he hopes will start a movement.

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Markis Peay,16, invited Channel 2′s Tom Jones into his home studio where he sang the song he hopes will spread like wildfire.

“Used to be a time we squashed beef with rocks and sticks. Now we’re stepping to each other with knives, Glocks and blicks,” he sang.

He’s says he is using his voice and his music to raise awareness about gun violence and the toll it takes.

“I’ve had a lot of friends die. I’ve been to a lot of hospitals. A lot of funerals,” he revealed.

It inspired him to record the song called “Wrong Time - An Anthem of Peace.” He says there’s never a wrong time to do what’s right.

“Gun violence and people assaulting people it’s just not cool,” he said.

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The video for the song re-enacts kids getting in trouble and facing the consequences. The hook for the song talks about spilling tea and not blood. Jones asked Markis to explain those lyrics.

“Instead of you getting good grades, paying attention, being on the honor roll...,you’re on the First 48 because you’ve committed a crime,” he said, mentioning the reality crime show First 48.

Markis co-wrote the song with his father. His father, Mark Peay, explained his motivation.

“I’ve seen people hurting because of crime. Because of violence. And it’s only escalating,” he said.

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The song opens with the lyrics, “Stop the violence. Protect the kids.” Markis says that’s exactly the message he wants to send. He and his father hope other artists and celebrities get on board and push an anti-violence message in songs. Markis says he really wants young people to listen and make a change. “The song is out to the kids you got to do better,” he said.

You can hear the song right now only on YouTube.

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