Staten Island Rapper Says Police Misinterpreted Drugs Video

Earlier this week, the New York police arrested 32 people on charges of selling prescription drugs, other types of drugs and guns on Staten Island.

In a news release, the police prominently featured a music video by the White Trash Clan, Staten Island rappers who were apparently enjoying and praising prescription pills in their song “My World Is Blue.” Set partly in drugstores, the video shows the performers snorting and otherwise consuming a variety of pills, aided by a blue-winged fairy.

“Crush and sniff it,” one of the rappers suggested. “Blue is my world in this life how I live it, come out to Staten Island, pay a little visit.”

The woman who plays the fairy, Sharissa Turk, 22, was among those arrested. But her fiancé, Daniel Haley, 27, who rapped on and produced the sog, told the Web site Gothamist on Saturday that the police had misinterpreted the group’s work. It was unclear whether anyone else featured in the video was arrested.

The rapper, known professionally as Incite Da Riot, said the crew was “not glorifying pill use” but instead showing its dangers. Mr. Haley was himself once addicted to prescription pills, he told the Web site, and would never promote them. He said:

“The video was made to show the downfall of drug users, and bring attention to the epidemic that every Staten Islander is fully aware of. We thought, ‘Let’s take a risk, let’s address something that’s really serious.’”

He also defended Ms. Turk, saying that while she did take pills, she was not a drug dealer. The police said earlier this week she had sold Oxycodone to undercover officers on three occasions.