There
has been some mention of Rap Lyrics being to blame in some way for
the recent spate of shootings. David Blunkett has made comments linking
"appalling" gangsta rap lyrics with gun crime. During a BBC interview he
was played an excerpt from rapper Jay-Z with the words, "mo murder for the
ROC gangs, ready to fire, one body, two body, three body, four I'm above
the law". Blunkett's own Government has seen the UK's own Arms dealing
activities sell more than a few guns. Hypocrisy? Of course it is!
Country and Western a danger?
The Home Office has ruled out further music censorship, but Blunkett has
called for talks with key music industry figures to ensure music doesn't
encourage violence. However, references to violence in songs are hardly
new, and early Blues singers and White Country and Western singers made
numerous references to shooting rivals, women, Police and anyone who
happened to come between them and their 'baby' or otherwise upset them.
Below, John Lee Hooker, offering advice on how to shoot someone who has
looked at your woman
Robert Johnston
Robert Johnston one of the most famous of blues guitarist and singers, only
recorded a couple of dozen songs before being reputedly poisoned by a rival
or someone who took not too kindly to his alleged womanising. This was in
the days a Black Man could be hung on the nearest Tree for looking at a
White Woman. Johnston's song '32/20', which sings the praises of a particularly
nasty shotgun, included the lyrics
"If I send for my baby, man and she don't
come, all the doctors in hospital, sure won't help her none" The song goes on
to tell us
"Yeh, Yeh, baby where'd you stay last night, you got your hair all
tangled and you aint talking right" and informs that he will
"take his 32/20
and cut her half in two" This is just a classic tale of that age old problem sexual
jealousy. Johnson and other like him simply related the struggles in everyday life;
they were also just singing about the times they were living in.
Violent Lyrics a 'Black Thing'?
Are violent lyrics a 'Black thing?' Maybe the history of White music is all pleasant
love songs and ballads about green pastures? Let's look at an older controversial
White musicians lyrics before we look at some modern lyrics. Try Johnny Cash and
his song 'Delia.' The song is about an unfortunate Lady called Delia who is hunted
down, tied to a chair and then shot, twice!
"She was low down and trifling. And she
was cold and mean. Kind of evil make me, want to grab my sub machine. Delia's gone
, one more round Delia's gone." Johnny weren't singing about the emancipation of
Women here and went on to further explain
"First time I shot her I shot her in the
side. Hard to watch her suffer But with the second shot she died Delia's gone, one
more round Delia's gone" Seems like Robert Johnson and Johnny Cash were singing
about the same things.
The Lyrics made me do it!
A lot of the Lyrics today which cause so much controversy, are nothing new.
And to say that violent rap lyrics are behind the gun violence, is simply putting
the cart before the horse. The average shooting isn't due to advice by Tu Pac or
Eminem. In fact, the average shooter is unlikely to have based his actions on the
lyrics of any song, be it rap, rock or some DJ. Ask anyone unfortunate enough to be
serving time for shooting people how much music played a part in the shooting,
they'll laugh. However, if they thought they could maybe blame their actions on
Snoop Dog, then I guess we'd see a wave of prisoners falling over themselves to
blame the TV, Radio, Pop Music and Rap for 'making me do it'. Anyone really
influenced enough by music to kill, should be in a secure mental home.
All White Music is harmless Country and Western, isn't it?
Whilst all the spotlights point to the Black Rappers who may well have some
lyrics which are violent and even racist, it must be pointed out that there
are numerous White Music Bands who specialise in 'White Power music' for
lack of a better term. There are songs praising racist attacks, genocide,
even Hitler himself is held up as a role model. There is still a considerable
market in this form of music, both in the USA, South America and Europe. 'Oi Music'
was a British 'post punk' musical Invention which took several paths, the most
popular combining Racist Skinhead ideologies with Punk music. Punk itself was
controversial with Anarchist Punk bands in particular being the first to revive
the fusion of political ideologies with music by setting up independent record
labels.
Real Hate Music, and its not Rap!
Skrewdriver, Blue Eyed Devils, Bound for Glory, Rahowa, Extreme Hatred,
Angry Aryans, Aggravated Assault, Nordic Thunder, Blood and Honour,
Brutal Attack, Berserker and Max Resist are all fairly well known bands
infamous for lyrically attacking people who aren't White. Skrewdriver was
the first band to successfully promote White Power ideals in the UK and
once the raw music was marketed by the more slick Yanks, the 'White Power'
music scene became a massive money maker. Heres some poetic lyrics from a
Norwegian Band called Rahowa.
"Kill all the niggers and you gas all the
Jews. Kill a gypsy and a colored too. You just killed a kike, don't it feel
right, Goodness Gracious Damn Right" Makes Johnny Cash and Robert Johnston
look like average guys just going through bad divorces.
Real Hate Music that is Rap!
Rapper Ice Cube had some dubious philosophical advice on his 1993 Album 'Lethal Injection'
which goes like this…. ""Bust a Glock; devils get shot. . . .
When God give the word me herd
like the buffalo through the neighborhood; watch me blast. . . . I'm killing more crackers
than Bosnia-Herzegovina, each and everyday. . . . don't bust until you see the whites of
his eyes, the whites of his skin. . . . Louis Farrakhan . . . Bloods and CRIPS, and
little old me, and we all getting ready for the enemy". Ice Cubes not exactly promoting
Racial Harmony there, in fact his references to Bosnia and Herzegovina are pretty sick,
but it didn't send an Army of Black Men rushing to pick up an
AK47 and 'do whitey'. There is the infamous 'Niggaz With Attitude's' first Album
which put Compton ( kind of a Black Kirkby in the USA) on the Map and offers the
word 'Motherf*****' as a kind of verbal full stop for lyricists. To be fair
though, many of the Black Artists in Rap bands have collaborated with White
musicians. It is 100% certain that the White Power bands would not work
with Black Men or Women.
Public Enemy,Are they racist?
A lot of Black Rappers are reacting to what they see as White Racism, although many recognise that
inequality affects White people who are victim to Classism.
Public Enemy, one
of the biggest names in Rap, have made a lot of controversial statements on songs
and their Gigs included having two black men in cages with fake Uzi's. Chuck D,
one of the Rappers then proceeds to press a button which then 'explode's' a
fake dummy of the local governor. However, the Audience included many White
people, and from all reports there have not been any overtly racist riots or
lynchings at their gigs. On the other hand, the odds of any Black people turning
up for a few pints and to watch a Gig by the likes of 'Screwdriver' or the Norwegian
Band 'Rahowa' are pretty slim. Even the most 'extreme' of Black Rap Bands has a White
Audience who both watches them and generally makes up a massive percentage of CD Sales.
The most extreme of White Bands will likely have not one Black Bloke or Woman who buys
the CD's or who make the effort to go to the gigs.
Black Music in Liverpool
In Liverpool the White Working Classes embraced the Black Music with a passion.
As sailors came back to port with the latest Blues and Soul records, it was taken
to heart perhaps because of the common ground that both Black and White Working
Class People shared. Where the USA had White and Colored areas in certain
establishments, the UK had its 1st 2nd and 3rd Class places just about everywhere.
Ireland's Ballads of Peace!
The Irish Immigrants who settled in Liverpool bought a musical contribution which could
also be singled out for its glorification of acts of violence in Lyrics. Whether it's
the touching refrains of the Protestants
"up to our neck in fenian blood" or the
Republicans
"A comrade on me left and another on me right. And a clip of ammunition
for my little Armalite". Maybe we could blame the current troubles on the musicians.
Or maybe it's a possibility that the Music or the contentious lyrics are simply
reflecting what's happening in Society.
Victims of a Drug War
David Blunkett is way out of touch. Going on his interpretation of the shootings we see,
it would be a simple matter of setting up Taliban like Road Blocks so the Police could
arrest anyone in possession of a bit of Snoop Dog, Dr Dre or Eminem. We could put
undercover cops in HMV and Virgin Records and just nick the potential shooters
as they come in for the latest Rap CD. Back to reality though, we can all see
that the people getting shot up and down the UK are the victims of a Drugs War.
Some are players and others are innocent bystanders caught up in the gunfire.
The Drug Dealers are killing each other because there's an unlicensed expanding
drugs business which would make the Top 10 of the FTSE index if the figures were
added up. There are no vacancies in the local Job Center, but everyone knows
that it's a career, and one which makes the average vacancy in the Job Center
seem like pocket money wages.
Below, maybe we need vacancies like these in the Job Centers before the Government realise
that its not Johnny Cash, the Dubliners, Eminem or Snoop Doggy Dog who are behind the
shooting here on Merseyside.
Vacancy: 16-01-02
Job Title: Drug Dealer.
Hours: Up to You!
Area: Merseyside.
Job Description: A unique opportunity due to the arrest of
the previous employee. This post comes with a minimum wage of
£1000 per week with fantastic performance linked sales bonuses.
You will be expected to be able to mix well with people and your
networking skills will be a crucial part of building the business.
You will be part of a team yet be working mostly on your own
initiative with a great support team always there for the times
you need a helping hand. We are a growing business and our customer
base needs another 'outlet' in the local area where you will be
able to secure your base and expand. An understanding of the
Metric weighing system is vital and you will be expected to
keep your own financial records and be able to make instant
on the spot decisions regarding credit. We operate a equal
opportunities policy to all our employee's.
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