LLOYD BANKS INTERVIEW!!!

I had a great opportunity to ask Lloyd Banks (hip hop artist part of the Gunit group to which 50 Cent belongs) a question that would gain a direct knowledge of how hip hop music influences teens from the actual source himself and inevitably benefit my investigation. I attended his afterparty on bank holdiday monday in Leicester Square

He was very friendly and did not mind answering the question i posed to him.

"Does hip hop music glamorise gun crime for teenagers?"

Firstly he laughed, presumabely because this is such a contraversal question but then began to talk about how heavily manipulative the media industry can be at imbellishing the truth. As apposed to displaying the possitive affects we (hip hop artists) have on youths we are heavily portrayed as negative influences on children.

There was so much more I wanted to ask, but obviously did not want to irritate him on his night out. I was happy, got what I needed! Here's a pic below of me and the hip hop artist himself!

trident investigation causes police shooting on black male

Trident is one of the organisations set up to prevent black gun crime on the streets of London and is an essential organisation for me to consider when dealing with my investigation. I gathered this information from http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1401279.mostviewed.man_shot_dead_by_police.php Last night throughout a trident investigation The article titled 'Man shot dead by police' below was written by David Doyle in the 'Ealing Times' Newspaper

AN EALING man was shot dead by police last night.

The man in his 50s was instantly killed during the armed police operation near Park Royal tube station at Hanger Green at 10.25pm.

Police were carrying out a Trident operation - a police crackdown on black-on-black violent crime.

A police spokesperson told the Ealing Times: "At 10.25pm a man in his 50s was shot by police at Hanger Green as a part of pro-active intelligence-lead operation by officers from Trident.

"A helicopter was called but the man was pronounced dead at the scene - no officers were injured in the incident."

Police and the Independent Police Complaint Commission this morning launched investigations into the shooting.

Ill Effects- extracts from David Buckingham

I am currently reading "Ill Effects" -the media/violence debate
and have particulary found the works of David Buckham of interest.

I have listed below the extracts of his work that I have found useful concerning my critical research study on children and the media.

Children are "passive victims of media manipulation"

The media has caused a "moral degradation and social decline."

Media violence is seen "to encourage children to commit acts of violence"

Elizabeth Newton quotes "Media violence represents a form of electronic child abuse."

Children have an "inability (or unwillingness) to conform to adult norms."

"Vulnerability, ignorance and irrationality are regarded as part of the inherent condition of childhood."

Children have an "inability to distinguish between fiction and reality. Children copy what they see on television because they lack the experience and the intellectual capacities that might enable them to see through the illusion of reailty which the medium provides."

Children view what they see to be "an accurate reflection of the world."

The media is portrayed as "A trustworthy guide to behaviour."

Buckingham also touches apon the hypodermic syringe (as discussed in a previous post)

The hypodermic theory depicts children as "passive victims." However Buckingham presents a contrasting belief of children as "active interpreters of meaning" so that they can "consciously process, interpret and evaluate meaning."

Like the gratifications theory (also discussed in a previous post) Buckingham outlines how children use the media for different social purposes.

It "depends upon the users' relationship with other influences."

These are the influences of "age, gender, and social class... different children can effectively occupy different media worlds."

I will try to use some of these quotations from "Ill Effects" in my exam so as to support the evidence that I have found when researching the relationship between teenagers and the media.

post by Jamie-Lee

Gratifications Theory

Obviously, all teenagers choose what they want to listen to for a particular reason. The main reason is because they like it. In the case of my topic, the teens who listen to hip hop may do so because they enjoy it. However the gratifications theory illustrates other ways in which we choose to engage with a certain media text. It is not simply for mindless entertainment, rather we expect to gain something from it. Personal Identity Being able to identify with a hip hop artist is one of the reasons why teens listen to an artist's music. Having similar characteristics and lifestyles as an artist will enable teens to engage with them on a deeper level. Information Teens are curious, they are constantly developing and hence, want to know more in order to satisfy their curiosity. Social Integration Listening to hip hop music may make a teenager feel sympathetic towards the artist and so are in effect relating to that character through their feelings. The music allows teens to engage with the artist enabling them to understand their predicament.

Desensitization/ Culmination Theory

This theory concerns my topic as many teenagers are less sensitive towards shootings and death due to their over exposure towards these issues produced in media texts. The desensitization theory is basically how over exposure of a particular idea shown through a media product can make individuals less sensitive. In the case of my project... ...Violence and gun culture is desesitized for many teenagers because of their over exposure to hip hop music and the guns that are publicised as acceptable alongside dominant hip hop artists. Therefore some teenagers take gun culture for granted as a result of desensitization. Could this be the case with Jamie Bulger?? The children were so young, surely their perceptions on harming others and murder were desensitized by their over exposure from media texts?

Theories concerning my topic

Hypodermic Syringe This theory heavily concerns my topic as it is based around how teenagers are influenced into mimicking what they hear/ see produced to them through the hip hop music. The theory is termed the Hypodermic Syringe because it puts the media in the form of an injection, inserting attitudes and beliefs into the minds of the audience. The hypodermic syringe subtracts the power from the audience, making them heavily influenced by what they are exposed to in the media. An example of the hypodermic syringe in practice If a man watches a woman doing the ironing on television he will automatically expect that all women should do the ironing. So, he assumes what he see's on Television to be reality and has difficulty in differenciating between the two. Interestingly, many dominant ideologies that exist in today's society are reinforced by what the audience absorb from the media.

MEDIA FORM HYPODERMIC REALITY

SYRINGE ACTUALIY

On a more serious note, a current example of the hypodermic syringe in pracise would be the Virginia Tech Massacre that took place this week in the United States. In this shocking incident, a young Korean student named Cho Seung-Hui

"carried violent images of violence in his head- but then turned them into a horrific reality" (Paul Harris- Daily Mail)

These photo's were taken of Cho Seung- Hui, himself and it is interesting to compare them with scenes (below his photo) from one of the most violent Korean films, 'Oldboy' directed by Quentin Tarantino, 2003.

Quotations that I found useful from Paul Harris' Daily Mail article:

"In his twisted mind he carried images of a violent Korean movie that appears to have scripted his thoughts."

"He had carefully modelled some of his on-screen poses on those of the anti-hero in the award winning Korean movie, called Old Boy"

David Gardner quotes:

"If they were not so readily available.. there would be fewer such incidents."

"The ghastly violence embedded in thousands of films and video games, which most of us manage to keep at bay, somehow invaded and took control of, the boy"

.."borrowing a scene from the ultra violent South Korean film Oldboy."

"Hollywood's glamorising of brutal and conscience- less violence has spread across the planet and infected us all."

"...He watched violent films and hour upon hour of mindless Television."

"Enjoyed playing violent video games"

"Listened interminably to forlorn and nihilistic music"

"So far had he retreated from the real world into his modern media inspired alternative reality."

By Jamie-Lee

Without a gun you could feel....Can you add any more to the diagram?

How would/do you feel without a gun?

Connotations of a gun

Having a GUN could make you feel...

An influenced teenager

It could be said that this teenager has been immensely influenced by hip hop music. In his profile on myspace.com he has quoted hip hop as his favourite genre of music.

I find it interesting to observe the several pictures he has displayed of himself on his myspace profile. Just as Tupac (previous post) wanted to display a particular image of himself in his poster, this teen is also representing himself to the whole of the public sector who has access to the internet as a potential threat to society.

All his pictures conform to the stereotype of a hip hop artist. As seen in my previous post (an analysis of the hip hop artist) this teenager shows the same portrayl of wealth through the gold grill in his mouth (a grill is a metal gum shield), his muscular physique and the most interesting, his fourth photo, a photo of his posing with a gun as his accessory.

The second photo shows a picture of a young man who the profile user "will always remember" it would be interesting to see whether this young man had been affected by gun crime and had a part to do with his death.

Obviously, there are many other factors that could have caused his death, but if his social group consisted of individuals like the profile user, could he himself have been a victim of gun crime throughout his life?

I find the third photo quite amusing because he quotes "all for my wife" relating to his body, ironically he is displaying his body to the whole of those who have access to the internet, so is it really all for his wife or a show for those that visit myspace.com?

The fourth photo is most concerning and useful for my research on this topic. To remind myself of the question I am trying to answer:

Does hip hop music glamorise gun crime for teenagers?

Judging by this fourth photo I believe that hip hop music has glamorised gun crime for this teenager, purely because he is displaying his weapon as an accessory rather than a dangerous tool. By posing with the weapon he is promoting gun crime for others just as Tupac was promoting weapons as a fashion in his poster. This teenager's gun posession could be informing others that this type of defense is acceptable.

In considering the profile user's views so as not to take a biast opinion, he could possess the weapon as a means of protection and safety. His life may be threatened by others and so having a gun makes the teenager feel reasurred in the fact that he has the confidence to know that he can protect himself easily.

However...

...If this was a genuine reason for him owning a gun then why display yourself on a website for others to see as apposed to keeping the gun locked away.

For example in the video 'Bowling For Columbine' many individuals who confessed to having a gun said that it was stored in a place where only you know where it is in case of a situation where your life is endangered? They under no circumstances liked having a gun, but felt it necessary.

Nevertheless, I feel that this teen actually likes having a gun and is proud of owning it. Otherwise, why else pose with it?

Do you have any other reasons to help me believe otherwise?

An analysis of the hip hop artist's pose

Tupac
Tupac is considered by many teenagers as the dominant figure in the genre of hip hop music.

It therefore seems necessary for me to comment on this pose because it would have already been viewed by many teenagers, if not on posters on their bedroom walls to represent their favorite rap artist.

Clothing- Tupac is pictured wearing a beanie/ wolly hat, which would seem unoffensive to most of society.

However, because he has no clothes on his upper body many would regard this person as intimidating. In some respects because he is not wearing any clothes on the top half of his body it draws attention to the hat ontop of his head. Do you think there was a purpose for this? Or just because this is how he feels most comfortable or to conform to the stereotypical dress of a 'gangster.'

Chain- Many hip hop idols like to display their wealth however it has now gone from one extreem to another in modern society. Hip hop artists not only are pictured posing with 'bling' (urban terminology) but now have encrusted diamonds moulded onto utensils such as glasses. So by Tupac originally posing with just a think silver chain to promote his wealth he has inspired many others in his line of work to carry on this tradition to a further extent.

So, if hip hop artists themselves are influenced by what others in the same line of work have achieved, this of course is going to have an impact on teenagers who look up to particular hip hop artists as their idols.

Physique- Tupac's body is toned/ muscular which portrays an element of strength which allows him to have a high defense mechansim whilst his figure could also act as a deterrrent for potential attackers. However, if his physique acts as a deterrent why does he need to protect himself even further by carrying a gun? (tucked into his jeans)
His shape also conforms to the stereotype of a 'typical hip hop artist.'

Tatoos- Also displays strength to an extent, but the meaning of the words printed across his stomach is more interesting to examine. 'Thug Life' with the letters all in upper case exaggerates Tupac's own hardship endured throughout his life. So by writing these words, Tupac has ultimately portrayed his whole lifestyle to the public and his fans, as if to promote this type of lifestyle as attractive.

Gesture- Tupac's derogative hand gestures simply protrays swearing as acceptable for many vulnerable teenagers that will be easily influenced.

Gun- The positioning of Tupac's weapon reinforces the dominant ideology in society "keep your most sacred posessions close to you at all times." Whilst Tupac is trying to express the importance of his weapon to him, the belt strapped around his waist, holding in the gun is also suggestive of the significance of the weapon. As if he would be lost without it, Tupac's belt secures his gun in a fixed position.


Do you agree or disagree with my comments?

Do you have anything to add to my analysis?

Why do you think many hip hop artists are associated with gun crime?

Well there are several answers to this question. Many hip hop artists believe they have to conform to the stereotype of an 'american gangster.'

Definition of a stereotypical gagster

"A member of an organized group of criminals; a racketeer."
"A member of a gang of delinquents."

Without necessarily commiting crime, they are promoting it to a certain extent purely by posing with offensive weapons.

Do you think that teenagers are influenced to commit crime by associating their favourite hip hop artist with gun crime?