Hip-hop violence returns to L.A. (credit, buy, schools)

[majoun]

Originally Posted by traveler36

From the news report there was an argument. Apparently it was bad enough that someone who could afford a Mercedes Truck pulled out a gun and killed the young man and also lost his own freedom. I think the overly glamorized tough guy image in rap causes problems. I mean a Rocker can wear a dress and lipstick and still have fans. Imagine Jay-Z in a dress how credible would he be to his fans.

I take it you're aware of the rumors about Jay-Z?

Rap and country are the two types of music least accepting of openly gay or bi performers. A rapper who came out would shock a great deal of his fans, just like a country singer who came out would shock many of his fans. Although who knows? I used to think that metal was just as homophobic but when Rob Halford came out of the closet his fans were overwhelmingly supportive, probably because many of them already knew he was gay before he made it official.

[ire2usa]

Originally Posted by majoun

And not that far away from where Biggie Smalls got shot:

Man fatally shot at entrance to Beverly Center [Updated] | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times

Why do rappers have to carry their beefs with each other into outright shooting? It's really retarded. Rock figures don't do this kind of thing, nor did they ever (with the obvious exception of Phil Spector), nor did any R&B, soul, funk, or jazz guys, no matter how harsh of a background they came from. Even the rock figures from the most seriously "thug" backgrounds like Liam Gallagher don't resort to guns to settle their beefs. This is really stupid Moderator cut: language and knowing how rap feuds gone violent have been in the past there's a good chance this might lead to more stupid violence.


Thoughts?

Rappers do on average come from worse backgrounds.
Liam Gallagher is from a council estate in machester,
not that much of a gangster background lol
he just walks with a chip on his shoulder and
a mean face

[ire2usa]

This phenomenon has hit England in the last few years also!
BBC NEWS | UK | Gunman who gloated in rap jailed
They say Londons crime rate is much higher than that of NYC now
(kids dying over postcodes),
im not sure how it is in comparison to Chicago or LA

[ire2usa]

Originally Posted by majoun

The chances of it being a rival rapper are about 99%.

I disagree entirely I don't think music has much to do with it.
This is just a guess, but i would say drugs (the old reliable one!) or disrespect of some sort.

[SilkCity0416]

Originally Posted by traveler36

Exactly but instead we are stuck with this:

Source? Those numbers sound way too even.

[happ]

Originally Posted by ire2usa

This phenomenon has hit England in the last few years also!
BBC NEWS | UK | Gunman who gloated in rap jailed
They say Londons crime rate is much higher than that of NYC now
(kids dying over postcodes),
im not sure how it is in comparison to Chicago or LA

I am really surprised to read that crime in London is worse than any city in the U.S. [is that for real?

[majoun]

Originally Posted by happ

I am really surprised to read that crime in London is worse than any city in the U.S. [is that for real?

Why are you surprised that crime in London is worse than let's say Portland, OR?

UK crime levels are about the same as US crime levels so this is no surprise. OTOH there's nowhere in Britain that has a crime level like Detroit.....

[traveler36]

Originally Posted by SilkCity0416

Source? Those numbers sound way too even.

Here's the source, but I think It wasn't based on real data it was probably just made up for a laugh.
San Francisco - All Shook Down - Jay-Z American Gangster vs. Wu-Tang vs. Kanye -- The Pie Charts

[majoun]

Originally Posted by traveler36

Here's the source, but I think It wasn't based on real data it was probably just made up for a laugh.
San Francisco - All Shook Down - Jay-Z American Gangster vs. Wu-Tang vs. Kanye -- The Pie Charts

There's no denying Kanye's all about sex, whereas Jay Z's more into rapping about violence.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by ire2usa

Rappers do on average come from worse backgrounds.

Many do, many don't.

I'm not going to name names, but the number of rappers from middle class backgrounds is pretty large. Even many gangsta rappers are just actors playing a specific role - there are a substantial number of struggling actors in L.A. who are not from the hood and who have gone into rap, even playing the "gangsta", in order to advance their career, mainly because if you're African-American and portraying a thug as a role white people who aren't your friends aren't going to question you. There were good reasons why Spike Lee depicted gangsta rap as the new minstrel show in "Bamboozled" .