"Thug Life"-style, Dumb*ss Music & Questionable Authority

[SuperFriend_XP]

Toronto has been plagued by gun violence and its evident that TuPac's "live by the gun, die by the gun" still remains true. I'm questioning Toronto's largely "gangsta"-rap influenced youth as to why one would take part in such a lifestyle? Music that endorses possession of weapons, use of drugs & alcohol is not, a very good influence on vulnerable young people. Kids get caught up in the nonesense pumped up full of BS and go out with guns, giving little thought to consequence. With parents that use narcotics & drink til they can't feel poverty anymore, where will these people learn from? Well then, homies, please do share your thoughts.

[Law]

yeah right blame it on tupac. People who are influenced by what they see and hear that lead them to crimes arent bright people to begin with. And im sure their parents havnt done their job.

Dont blame te musicians though, Pac is my favourite rapper and i never wanted a gun or to kill anyone for looking at me the wrong way. I dont wear my pants under my ass, i dont say "yo" and "guy" every other word.

Look at the rappers that influence the youth today, they arent gangster rap they are pop. They are all about image and people are trying to emulate their look with the plat chains, wads of cash and basketball jerseys.

[Yogi]

Many songs in the sixties and early seventies were about doing drugs and getting high etc. I listened to that stuff (and still do lol), but guess what??...I didn't become a drug addict.

Blaming music, cartoons, video games etc. is simply an easy excuse. If one is predisposed to drugs, violence etc. as a result of their upbringing or who they hang out with, then there is a chance that these can influence the kids. The ones that commit crimes as a result of these are screwed up to begin with.

[SuperFriend_XP]

yeah right blame it on tupac. People who are influenced by what they see and hear that lead them to crimes arent bright people to begin with. And im sure their parents havnt done their job.

Dont blame te musicians though, Pac is my favourite rapper and i never wanted a gun or to kill anyone for looking at me the wrong way. I dont wear my pants under my ass, i dont say "yo" and "guy" every other word.

Look at the rappers that influence the youth today, they arent gangster rap they are pop. They are all about image and people are trying to emulate their look with the plat chains, wads of cash and basketball jerseys.


I didnt say anything ill about Pac - I have every single album of his, but most of these kids have never struggled like him, why would they feel the need to be armed?

[SuperFriend_XP]

Im talking about musicians posing as street gangsters, waving .45's in their videos and then selling their cheap wares to kids who just love being a part of that.

[SuperFriend_XP]

Many songs in the sixties and early seventies were about doing drugs and getting high etc. I listened to that stuff (and still do lol), but guess what??...I didn't become a drug addict.

Blaming music, cartoons, video games etc. is simply an easy excuse. If one is predisposed to drugs, violence etc. as a result of their upbringing or who they hang out with, then there is a chance that these can influence the kids. The ones that commit crimes as a result of these are screwed up to begin with.

then how do we deal with a growing problem like that? Kids look at musicians as idols who have nothing better to talk about other than *****es and how many weapons they possess, while smoking reefer & drinking endless bottles of hypnotique. Tupac is another story, although he did at times incite hate.

[SuperFriend_XP]

yeah right blame it on tupac. People who are influenced by what they see and hear that lead them to crimes arent bright people to begin with. And im sure their parents havnt done their job.

Dont blame te musicians though, Pac is my favourite rapper and i never wanted a gun or to kill anyone for looking at me the wrong way. I dont wear my pants under my ass, i dont say "yo" and "guy" every other word.

Look at the rappers that influence the youth today, they arent gangster rap they are pop. They are all about image and people are trying to emulate their look with the plat chains, wads of cash and basketball jerseys.

Why wouldn't I blame the musicians for glamourizing stupid behaviour? Yes, the kids smart enough won't go through with what they say they do, but what about the other 90% who can't get enough of the purple haze and shanking & shooting at people whose eyes twitch?

[x86/Z80asm]

I wont lie to you, the rap music today is fairly explicit but this issue is much like the people blaming violent video games for the acts of others. There just cant be one factor that contributes to it. Most people (even these so called "thugs") understand that this stuff is just fake. This life is chosen because it is a way to gain respect and to have a sense of belonging. The drugs on the other hand offers very fast and easy money with minimal effort. When you live in a housing project or some other form of community housing these are things you crave.

It is a matter of desperation and needs, not a matter of imitating rap videos and the associated culture.

[Law]

I didnt say anything ill about Pac - I have every single album of his, but most of these kids have never struggled like him, why would they feel the need to be armed?


Its all image. And the gun is an equalizer. That guy making fun of you is ripped and huge? just shoot him and look cool in front of your friends.

To these people image is everythign and if you let someone make you look bad then youre a punk so what do you do? beat, shoot, stab kill the person to protect your image.

[SuperFriend_XP]

You've got a point there

[Law]

It is a matter of desperation and needs, not a matter of imitating rap videos and the associated culture.

Not always, look at those "thugs" who live with mom and dad but wear the baggy clothes and jerseys and listen to 50 cent and so on. They arent starving , they just like the style. In reality alot of it is just immitating the videos. Those jerseys and phat farm and Enyce clothes they wear arent cheap. They arent starving thats for sure.

[SuperFriend_XP]

Why would someone pay that much for clothes that dont fit them?

[Law]

Why would someone pay that much for clothes that dont fit them?

because their favourite rappers tell them to and everyone else is doing it.

[MAGIC]

Don't do drugs, expecially weed id say, no matter how harmless you think it may be.
look at somone who smokes daily you will see that they have smoked them selves retarted. It kills braincells everytime regardless...
so gg gl and stay sober!Find a real hobbie to all the gangsters and make something of your selves.

[NiTeFiRe]

I wear Phat Farm and Enyce, not because rappers and such do, cause I like the clothes believe it or not. I also live in the 'projects' and proud of it, makes me stronger when I'm outta here.

[Walter]

I'm not into the current "music" so I might be wrong but is it only black kids that listen to this gangsta rap?

[I LIKE EGGS]

Ahhhh growing up in the 80's really wasn't that bad. All we had was long hair, earings, leather jackets with a cut off jean jacket over top with patches beyond the norm, high top converse shoes and nut hugger jeans that were painted on and the music rocked!!!

[I LIKE EGGS]

I'm not into the current "music" so I might be wrong but is it only black kids that listen to this gangsta rap?

Nope all kids from every backround listen to rap. However white kids sometimes take it out of proportion and dress, talk and act like rappers in their wigger type fashion. I often wonder why every backround gets consumed by what black people are wearing.....I guess arab garments just aren't in fashion in these gangsta rap times.

[I LIKE EGGS]

I wear Phat Farm and Enyce, not because rappers and such do, cause I like the clothes believe it or not. I also live in the 'projects' and proud of it, makes me stronger when I'm outta here.

Stronger for what? You should have your own confidence and self worth that you do not need clothes or where you are living to make you tougher for the future.....have a little faith in yourself dude. :)

[Quintin]

because their favourite rappers tell them to and everyone else is doing it.
And it doesn't stop at clothes.

[Angre Nichols]

Musician's can re-enforce a negative, and therefore are responsible to some degree. TuPac might not be the sole cause of a kid carrying a gun but he does make it look cool.

[Law]

Musician's can re-enforce a negative, and therefore are responsible to some degree. TuPac might not be the sole cause of a kid carrying a gun but he does make it look cool.

What american doesnt want to carry a gun?

[Just Doug1]

Monkey see, monkey do.

[SuperFriend_XP]

What american doesnt want to carry a gun?

it is in their consititution ;) but seriously, not all americans are texans.

[SuperFriend_XP]

...look at somone who smokes daily you will see that they have smoked them selves retarted....

you got that from half baked, you stoner ;) jk

[Walter]

Nope all kids from every backround listen to rap. However white kids sometimes take it out of proportion and dress, talk and act like rappers in their wigger type fashion. I often wonder why every backround gets consumed by what black people are wearing.....I guess arab garments just aren't in fashion in these gangsta rap times.

Hmmm....I thought this post was about the influence of "musicians" and the gun violence in Toronto and what I was trying to determine is why we don't have white kids who listen to the music out there taking part in the shootings. Blaming the music is just another way of individuals avoiding taking personal responsibility.

[I LIKE EGGS]

Hmmm....I thought this post was about the influence of "musicians" and the gun violence in Toronto and what I was trying to determine is why we don't have white kids who listen to the music out there taking part in the shootings. Blaming the music is just another way of individuals avoiding taking personal responsibility.

I agree....this post is about what you stated. I was just touching the part where you questioned if white kids were listening to rap music and commented accordingly.

I do not fall into the catagory where people are so easy to blame something such as music for their shortcomings and agree that the individual SHOULD be responsible for their own actions. As for why we don't have white kids falling to rap vs gang and gun violence....that is something that I cannot answer alone.

Very touchy subject when you involve colour, reason and accountablility.

[Walter]

I agree....this post is about what you stated. I was just touching the part where you questioned if white kids were listening to rap music and commented accordingly.

I do not fall into the catagory where people are so easy to blame something such as music for their shortcomings and agree that the individual SHOULD be responsible for their own actions. As for why we don't have white kids falling to rap vs gang and gun violence....that is something that I cannot answer alone.

Very touchy subject when you involve colour, reason and accountablility.

Why.

The facts are clear.....the shootings are being done by blacks.

The reason seems to be evenly divided between turf wars, drugs and just stupid bravado.....don't dis me!

The people who are accountable are the shooters, their fellow gang members, their families and members of their community who will not or are scared to speak out.....retribution is possible but it is sad that the "community" can not band together to protect itself.

Where are the people who marched and stood up to every type of abuse and resistance to gain civil rights and then succumb to the same type of abuse from within their own community. A member of the black community, in a column in The Star, commented that racists are really enjoying this turmoil and he is right.

[I LIKE EGGS]

[/B]

Why.
The facts are clear.....the shootings are being done by blacks.

Touchy because no matter if the facts are true and clear......it still remains a touchy subject because someone will in fact play the racial card. We all know it is all black. Not to say that white people do not do the same thing, however statistically you can see that it is not white related. And I hate putting colour to context but in this case I really have no choice.

The reason seems to be evenly divided between turf wars, drugs and just stupid bravado.....don't dis me!



The people who are accountable are the shooters, their fellow gang members, their families and members of their community who will not or are scared to speak out.....retribution is possible but it is sad that the "community" can not band together to protect itself.

However true....what do you suggest??? We cannot arm ourselves to protect our communities. And besides, we cannot just go shooting people in our own communities in order to take it back.....you get the 2 wrongs don't make it right or just random shootings of potential or possible gang memebers.....we cannot just go marshal law or vigilante.....so what's the solution? It is easy to say that people need to stand up and protect their own communities but there still needs to be a "reasonable" plan in play to be executed. Plus you have people within that community that say "Oh why do you have to harrass the black folks in our building?" And yet when criminals are caught they say "that's great that you got someone off the street". So it is also the people within the same race that cannot decide what is the solution. It is always about race.

Where are the people who marched and stood up to every type of abuse and resistance to gain civil rights and then succumb to the same type of abuse from within their own community. A member of the black community, in a column in The Star, commented that racists are really enjoying this turmoil and he is right.

Will not disagree with you there.

Regardless....it is a damn shame