John Davis is one of the most popular rap producers in Oakland, even though he is no longer allowed to live there under the conditions of his parole.

Davis has teamed up with Kevin Grant, a former Los Angeles gang member who leads an Oakland violence-prevention program, to negotiate a truce between rappers whose rivalries often stem from neighborhood feuds and warring gangs. The two men took up the initiative after a shootout two months ago at a CD release party for an Oakland rapper, Zulu the King, that left two dead. You can read a full profile of Davis here.