Does Music Influence Crime?

The music begins and a DJ is shown to be spinning a track. A tracksuit-clad lad has his back to the camera, standing confident, almost arrogantly. The crowd gathered are jumping up and down; a blonde girl shaking her hair to and fro. The boy turns to face the camera, and so begins his MC-ing:

“I’ll keep this plain and simple. I intend to make your brain tremble…”

As others are introduced, this just looks like another gang of youths you would find on the street: six quite stocky guys wearing tracksuits and looking like they are ready for a fight. Some fear them, perhaps walking across the road should they be near, a small few respect them and some would perhaps love to start a fight with them.

But this particular gang are not your usual “chavs” or “scallies”. They are The Blackout Crew; a happy hardcore band who are set to become very popular amongst teens.

Their first single “Bbbbbounce” is currently being played on all the major music channels and has had over a million hits on YouTube. The song threatens to be much talked about for its lyrics on the boys’ street life:

“Street life, is the way I like life
And I don't like life if it ain't street life
And I don't mean life where you carry a knife
I mean life without upraisin the hype”

Growing up in Bolton with a typical working class upbringing, they try to convey their life through their music. Indeed, in the previous lyrics they are against the use of knives, but they later do go on to say they purposefully look for fights.

They are typical young lads. They have girlfriends, drink and hang about on the street, the only difference being that they are set to take the country by storm. They are already being recognised everywhere and being included on various dance CDs. In a sense though, could this be worse?

They have done well for themselves, earning money and not relying on the Government to live. They are doing something productive, something many young adults can’t say, but are they spreading the idea of gangs and use of violence to their peers?

The fact that in their video there are quite clearly younger teens than the Blackout Crew themselves can only be a chilling thought to parents everywhere. These youngsters will look up to them for inspiration and opinion, therefore shouldn't they set an example to their peers?

Yes, the message may be to not use knives, something which they hold close to their hearts as some of their friends have become victim to knife crime. But surely they should talk of using no violence at all? They still convey a sense of positivity for the use of violence, whether it be with use of weapons or not.

On Blackout Crew member Kurtis Chadwick’s (aka MC Viper) Myspace, he has a picture up of a friend who has been knifed. The caption underneath reads: “I hope this puts anyone off ever using a knife”. This is a very strong statement, but still the Crew do speak of violence in other forms, but surely violence is violence whether there are weapons involved or not.

The Blackout Crew, though, are part of a gang and they highlight the fact that these are becoming increasingly popular in this country. Gangs are often associated with black Americans, Rap and Hip Hop being blamed over there for kids copying their favourite artists. With the deaths of several rappers due to arguing gangs in the early nineties, it is easy to see why youths could follow in the footsteps of the likes of 2Pac.

It appears to have crossed the channel now though, with acts like Eminem and Snoop Dogg becoming popular, the latter incidentally being refused entry to the country due to drug-related issues.

If you look in your own town, you are bound to see large groups of teenagers, usually found to be drinking on street corners. They are intimidating. Crimes associated with them can include stealing, attacking people and even criminal damage. It is when they are faced with opposing gangs that things tend to turn nasty.

It can by no means be fully blamed on the music they listen to, but factors such as peer pressure, expectations from their friends or even their upbringing that has to be considered, but if not from music, video games and TV, where would they get their ideas from?

The question is can this be changed, after all you cannot knock someone for singing or rapping about their own lives and experiences. Perhaps The Blackout Crew can change the shape of things, in a sense that they do hold a grudge against the use of weapons, but can one band make a difference? Let’s hope so.

This is the boys' debut song, "Bbbbbounce":