We've all heard that hip hop causes violence, but is this true? To add to this common perception was the recent incident at the Kanye West concert. Two stewards at the NEC gig were shot trying to control a group of people without tickets.  | | Hip Hop panel |
For those familiar with Kanye's music; you would know his lyrics do not promote or advocate violence. In his track 'Diamonds' he highlights the blood-diamond trade of Sierra Leone, which has claimed the lives of millions of Africans. There's not a hint of 'gansta' in the music of this multi-million selling, multi-Grammy winning artist, so is it fair he gets dogged by violence? The Saturday night show presented by Robert Beckford explored hip hop with a guest panel on BBC WM. CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW One of the issues discussed, was whether some hip hop lyrics caused people to act violently; read the panels response below: Ebu/Blackitude – Producer of Shadowless, Birmingham based Hip Hop group "It's not so much the lyrics that influence people it's the sensationalism. The media in this country is mostly interested in sensationalism.  | | Ebu/Blackitude |
"Hip hop is a culture that encompasses a lot of different things, but the media is only interested in the sensationalist part, which focuses on the negative things. "There are lots of different types of hip hop, there's gospel, sad, happy and violent hip hop. The media are only interested in the violent part, and think that's the only part that exists". Miss C Brown – Local Hip Hop DJ "I can't say I've been personally influenced by lyrics, but it's down to the individual really, and how you interpret and take it on board, and what you do with it.  | | Miss C Brown |
"There's a level of responsibility with every person to know that it is just music, and to know your own mind, know your own head, and not be influenced by it. "Going back to the Kanye West incident, I don't think it had anything to do with him. It's just the fact that it's a concert, people wanted to get in, they couldn't get in; and they treated it like it was a venue in the ghetto basically, where they could get away with doing that. "It's only because it was the NEC and Kanye West that such a big noise is being made about it; otherwise you wouldn't have heard about it". Michael Davis-Bingham – regular contributor  | | Michael Davies-Bingham |
"How many guys are incarcerated on some kind of crime or another, hip hop related crime or another? It's ridiculous. It's one thing to say you live a life, and you can actually separate your life from the music. "But too many of these guys are actually integrating the music in their lives, and living that life still; bringing that across to us, and then making our young people go out thinking: 'this is the life we should live, we should be angry black men and we should be doing this'. The people who are actually making hip hop and promoting it this way, don't live in our communities". Blaq–I – local rapper  | | Blaq-I |
"Hip Hop is a very big part of my life, music on a whole is a very big part of my life. Music is all about a vibe, so maybe if there is a violent vibe in a particular song it may cause people to get aggressive. Some people may then take the lyrics literally. "But at the same time hip hop like so many other types of music and touches on various subjects. I am a rapper, but not a gansta rapper". LINK UP MANDISA-LINK UP MANDISA-LINK UP MANDISA TALK TO MANDISA DO YOU HAVE A STORY? I was born and raised in Birmingham, and take a personal interest in the everyday lives of local people. I want to hear your stories, your views.  | | Mandisa |
If you would like me to highlight your concerns, joy, pain, whatever...
Just give me a call or an email. Contact Details: Email: [email protected] Mobile: 07866 684 506 Post: BBC WM, The Mailbox, Birmingham B1 1RF | 
