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Violence in rap music

 

Snoop has become somewhat of a local hero for the kids living in Long Beach because his music accurately depicts their lives. Erica Brown, a 16 year-old Long Beach native said, "He's not trying to be what he ain't. If he said he wasn't a gangster, he'd be lying." Taneika Archer, another Long Beach teen said, "He tells it like it's supposed to be told" (Leland).
             When Tupac Shakur was murdered, anti-rap music activist C. Delores Tucker, said, "Mr.Shakur always talks about violence, and now it has come back to him." Many of Tupac's songs did contain violence, but they weren't the cause of his death. Some believe that the Notorious B.I.G. was behind Tupac's death, and the ongoing battle between the two fueled it. But that theory has not been proven. Snoop Dogg, who knew both rappers, said, "I don't believe Biggie was behind Tupac's death, and nobody on the street does either. It was gang-related drama that goes down every day in the 'hood (Samuels)." Tupac's lyrics didn't bring him to his death, it was the gang-related drama that goes on in urban America.
             Snoop Dogg has also had run-ins with the law and violence. In 1993 he was arrested after the MTV Video Music Awards on murder charges. Snoop did not pull the trigger, his bodyguard did. The shooting was ruled out of self defense. Snoop received lots of criticism from anti-rap activists and media relating his lyrics as a gangsta rapper to his trial. David Kenner, Snoop's attorney, said, "Snoop was perceived negatively, and we had to dispel that inaccurate opinion." Snoop and other rappers are hurt by these mis-conceptions. He said, "People think that I like being notorious, this shit ain't cool. It's not what I'm about anymore. This is nothing cool, nothing fun, nothing to laugh about. This is stressful" (Leland).
             The violent events surrounding gangster rap have little or nothing to do with the lyrics. There have been countless incidents with musicians and the law.


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