Urban Violence in America: Can Our Music Save Us?

Kendrick Lamar is an inspirational artist that attacks the ideas of what make a person "Real" in Urban America. He is an up incoming artist unlike Chief Keef, or Gucci Mane. Artist such as these only further the degeneration of the communities that they risen from. By preaching living your life on the edge by making money in the street, and taking the lives of your peers if the intervene with you life style. Kendrick was born in Compton and was often faced with gang violence, and the reality that he wasn't expected to live past 21. He often said his music saved his life and he tries to save the "Bastards of the Ronald Reagan Era".

It amazes me that music like this isn't played on the radio more often, but the garbage that floods urban America becomes anthems for our youth. The media corporations, use music to influence people to with artist that promote violence, and the theme "Live Fast, Die Young",Urban Violence at it's worst. Lil Reese has risen to stardom with the help the of JoJo murder, and behind a of video him beating and stomping of a female camera at a party a few years ago. His reaction to the assault however was what was shocking, and he was never charged following the attack.

I wasn't able to find a censored version of his song that people said was directly related to the two incidents related above.



It's no reason why this flood the neighborhoods, and cities in the cars, and iPods of teens today.

Sweeping the issues under the table

In today's society the media depicts racial issues in TV shows today. We are constantly overwhelmed with harmful and solicitous images and ideas. Especially young children and teens that spend most of their time on the internet and on the television. People now are still astonished by the interesting topic on racial statuses in TV shows. For example in 1968 there were disputes about what they called "breaking the racial barriers" in Star Trek when they displayed an interracial kiss between the fictional characters. Other TV shows and/or movies are "The Wizard of Oz". Notice that they've made a white version and a black version to get others input or perspective on two different types of cultures which perhaps in my case I found that the two movies were completely different. Also in the movie "Crash “portrays the intersecting lives of a diverse cross-section of LA residents. They had one scene where there had been a woman of color who had got in a car crash and a white police officer who wanted to help her out of the car before it caused a ruckus but she refused. The media today is deceiving people because the competition among producers and advertisers gets tougher as they try to come up with new ways to catch people’s attention. There are some television shows and movies that attempt to create an atmosphere to change the prospective of people towards social issues such as racial discrimination. These shows provoke criticism and tend to mislead the picture of reality.

The Other Side to the Sandy Hook Story

            In the wake of the Sandy Hook Massacre, our nation discussed the matter of gun control. However, many people he voiced their opinions, of why the big movement all of the sudden.  Why did what happen at Sandy Hook Elementary make us want to take such a stand and improve gun control? Because it took place in a white middle class area, and white children were the victims. Princeton University Professor Cornell West had a problem with the sudden urgency in getting guns off the street after the tragedy. “We can’t just shed tears for those on the vanilla side of town,” West said.” They are precious, but they are no less or more precious than our poor brothers and sisters on Indian reservations — who are killing each other — or be they black or brown or what have you. But it’s a good thing that we now have a discussion on gun control. We need one on drone control. Not a peep, not a mumbling word when black folk get shot,” West added. “But now, Newtown, Connecticut, vanilla side — low and behold we got a major conversation. That’s wonderful. Each life is precious, but it just upsets me when we’re so deferential.”

Rush Limbaugh also agreed with Professor West, and his video talking about the inner city youth who are entrenched in a gang war in Chicago is below. He goes on to say the Chicago averages 41 deaths a month, and that their on course for over 500 deaths this year. He then goes on to say how you won’t hear about the stories because the violence takes place in poor black neighborhoods so we don’t care as much about them as we do the middle class white children.

I also agree with the West, and Limbaugh. I think it is a shame how the media picks, and chooses what stories to tell, and which to go untold. There is no way that you can say that what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary wasn’t devastating, but what is taking place in Chicago is horrifying. I think that reason why those kids end up killing each other is because they don’t value their lives, and why would they if they brothers, and sisters are dying every night and they don’t see them on the news.  I truly believe that if we were to show that we care and let them see themselves on the news, the nations reaction would get to some of these troubled youth and save a few lives!