Joakim Noah vows to stay active

CHICAGO -- Joakim Noah extended his condolences Saturday to the family and friends of a Chicago rapper's manager murdered just hours after meeting the Chicago Bulls forward to plan an anti-violence event.

Uchenna Agina, the manager of Chicago rapper Lil Durk, was in a car when a person reportedly walked up and shot him on Chicago's South Side early Friday morning. He was later pronounced dead.

Noah and his Noah's Arc Foundation have been active in Chicago's anti-violence campaign and had met with Agina at Noah's home Thursday to discuss details about an upcoming event.

"It's very sad," Noah said after the Bulls' 111-80 victory against the New York Knicks on Saturday night. "What's going on in this city is very real. I signed up for this. I'm just like doing everything I can to do something positive. Just need to keep up the good fight. I know everything I'm doing with my foundation comes from my heart. I think it's real important that we don't turn our backs on anybody.

"I just know somebody came to my house. We were talking about doing some work for the kids and doing something positive. He got murdered. I never experienced anything like that. My respects go to his family and to his friends. I just hope we can find solutions."

Noah said he plans to stay involved in the anti-violence campaign and will continue to encourage Chicago rappers to join him.

"We need everybody involved," Noah said. "Even these rappers, a lot of people tell me to stay away from certain people. I'm not staying away from anybody. We need everybody involved in this. The reason why I think these rappers are important is because even though their message is violent in Chicago, they are a force.

"I want to engage with him, and I want to work together with them to do something positive. Even though their message is sometimes negative and it might clash with the message that we're bringing with the [Rock Your Drop campaign], their followers and the people who follow them is who I'm trying to reach."