We’ve talked about it millions of times here on Highbrid Nation.  In Hip Hop its become less about how talented you are than how extensive your wrap sheet is or how many times you’ve been shot.  Its that subjective image equity we call “street cred.”  At the end of the day the misfortunes and misteps of the past become the measure of a man in the rap world.  But in the absence of an environment conducive to fostering such equity, how far will an aspiring artist go to establish a street credible resume?

The Smoking Gun recently profiled such a character.  In an attempt to establish street equity, wannabe rapper, Steven Gilmore tried to rob a Florida convenience store Friday night and in the process shot and wounded an employee in the head with a BB gun.  Once arrested, the 21-year-old Gilmore, wasted no time in admitting to police his motivation behind the robbery.

According to Gainesville police. Gilmore, who also copped to a stickup of the Hungry Howie’s restaurant, told police that he thought the robberies would provide him the kind of reputation he apparently believes is required in the rap world.

According to a Gainesville Police Department report, Gilmore, wearing a bandanna over his face and carrying a BB gun, fled empty-handed from the Super Store convenience outlet after struggling with a store clerk over the weapon. During the encounter, the clerk, Dharmedra Patel, was shot in the temple and suffered a laceration and bleeding. The Hungry Howie’s heist netted Gilmore about $900, records show, and he departed the crime scene on a moped driven by a 16-year-old accomplice.

A moped?  Where in the rapper handbook does it say to cop a moped? You can’t put dubs on that.  Any credibility he might have gained from this dumb ass scheme was quickly vaporized when he bounced in the get-away moped.  So you thought kids were smart enough to decipher the difference between right and wrong when watching too much TV.  Think again…Hip Hop apparently does have the brainwashing effects that conservative politicians feared.  But when you’re as stupid as Gilmore, it really doesn’t matter.