Wonder if the rap video is called... Stand your Ground

A sad day,

Imagine the loss of another valuable asset to our "Culturally Rich" society. Perhaps we may immortalize someone in this mess with a beautiful song full of lyrics all could be proud of! The one that comes to mind is "tits and ass, point the gun, pull the trigger" Now, in light of what happened here, this might be the one? Too bad, another rapper in the crapper.

"Police don't know what prompted the gunfire." Um, it was a rap video. Maybe a fight, a posse issue, a scene in the video without props, another rapper was jealous, a video being filmed in a rival gang area, etc.

I think we need to ban guns- obviously that gun couldn't handle the excitment and went off. Similarly, we need to ban cars- that car sure got scared and tried to get away on it's own too.

Officers took three men with guns into custody after watching amateur video of the incident. Investigators tell NBC10 that they believe one of those men is the shooter.

This made laugh so hard haha. They saw it happen on tape and still can't figure it out .. Really?!?!

robiscoole

You should change your name to raging racist

Why should he? He didn't mention anything about race. "Rapper" is not a race.

How about changing Robiscoole to Robbie's missing the point! Are you trying to tell me Rappers are Culturally Rich and provide a good example of what we want our children to embrace and mirror as they mature and enter society that demands responsible behaviour to succeed?

It's rough when all you can do is find a excuse for stupidity and ignorance. Racism is an old card that has been over played and has no place in this argument.

At least this video matched with the lyrics, since rap songs are about killing people. I didn't know rap was still popular.

haha, the Rap race called Rapasian.

Anyway Rap can be very derogatory. There are some good in some hiphop music, but a lot of them tell "stories of the hood" instead of trying to improve the hood. Rap would be a great tool to use to counter crime, but so far having seen this tool being exploited.

Who's the moron that used live ammo in a video?

Uh oh.....

Time for the White House to issue a proclamation that there should be a complete, unbiased, and immediate investigation by the FBI and DOJ on this shooting. No one should get shot during the filming of an amateur rap session.

Maybe Mr. Obama will announce this from Air Force 1.

Are you trying to tell me Rappers are Culturally Rich and provide a good example of what we want our children to embrace and mirror as they mature and enter society that demands responsible behaviour to succeed?

Depends on which rappers you're talking about. You might be surprised.

rap songs are about killing people.

Hmmm how to respond... Assuming for the moment that you're not a fan of the genre (that's pretty obvious), and that, as such, you have an inherently limited perspective of the genre, you must know that your statement says more about you that it does rap. Right?

Raging Capitalist, what do you possibly think you know about rap music and it's culture? I'll assume from your comment that last time you listened to it was back in the 80's/early 90's when it was still called gangster rap. These are assumptions. You'll only look to the wrong and never the good. That kid Justin Beiber that your daughter (assumption) probably worships is highly influenced by that culture as well as most pop music today. I'm sure you wouldn't be able to name 5 rappers without the use of google right now. Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Wayne, and others have performed on every aspect of music and culture that you can think of, not just rap. So yes, it's "Culturally Rich". Prove to me it's not and also give me an example of what/who you believe is culturally rich.

~Bebop

yaawwwwn....who cares?

buncha uneducated ignorant scum

....let them kill each other

The headline should say "best rap video ever".

If you want to promote being a gun packing man-child, then the ground is a good place for you.

President Obama is on his way to say he would look like his son.

Rap gives those that are unable to sing an opportunity to take part in the music industry...some think it is music.

Not all rap music is bad. Just the stuff that's publicized.

Check out YouTube videos for artists like "Lecrae", "Tedashii", and "Trip Lee" for examples of really GOOD rap music.

Peace!

Hey Police: gunfire is caused when the trigger of a firearm is depressed far enough to release the firing pin/striker/hammer.

Bebop,

I believe the onus is one you to provide a "Culturally Rich" example. If, it's about guns, tits, hitting the ho, and how bad the whitey is or some sort of finger pointing blame for the plight of the people whom write the songs. For a rather disgusting yet funny fact, most of the songs sold are sold to young White Americans. You can guess how they vote.

Please feel free to offer some lyrics of this rich culture.

..."It's a beautiful day in the neyba-hood"... as Mr. Rogers used to sing...

And here I thought only the people who listened to rap music are idiots. I predict the video will go platinum, regardless of the quality of the music.

Raging Capitalist. Though I'd love to educate you on the difference between a rapper and a "thug" that knows how to rhyme, the forum is not the place. If you want to educate yourself on the culture of rap, I suggest you do it on your own time. You might actually enjoy it depending on your comprehension of metaphors and entendres. Without a doubt, profanity is used as a form of expression in most rap music, so if that offends you I suggest you start with Lupe Fiasco - Paris,Tokyo; Kick, Push; Gotcha; The Show Goes On. You'll instantly see the difference between rap and what happens in one of the top 5 most violent cities in America.

Good lord Shotyme. The board isn't the place for that. lol. These people will comment without understanding which just shows their ignorance. Even worse is they've been challenged to get educated but they will neglect the challenge and still speak without knowing which shows even worse. I'm afraid your post will be overlooked as it just looks like a giant wall of text. Nice effort though.

~Bebop Reason Rally 2012, March 24th.

@Bebop-I agree, but I also think that if I just provided links, people who have a visceral negative reaction would probably not go to them.

I know there is a chance that someone will respond 'TL, DR', but at least anyone who thinks hip hop is full of negative imagery cannot say that they have never seen an example of positive lyrics.

Shotyme

your posts are way too short

LOL @ what_the_81.

@Shotyme, yes. I see where you are coming from. It's a sad day and age. I'm sure these people who believe that rap is the main ingredient to "crime, shootings, hating whitey, cracking on hos, etc" are the same believers that where hoodies makes you look like a gangsta and therefore deserve to be shot. Sad day indeed. Besides, I don't recall seeing many gangstas in hoodies. Maybe mallrats and graffiti artist. Gangstas typically wear suits and fedoras lol.

Shotyme

you forgot the ending:

(*gunshots*)....(then tires screeching)

I'm kidding :)

@what_the_81-Ok...you made me laugh twice in a short span. Good job :). LOL.

Kjosee,

Unless you've seen the video how do you know what it shows?

"We immediately watched the video... and we were able to determine the description of the shooter who was seen clearly on the tape," Small said.

Maybe the three taken into custody had similar clothing and appearance. Maybe all three were shooting and who actually shot the victim cannot be positively. Video doesn't always show everything.

Caveat: I don't like rap. I think it is abhorent in general because the mainstream rap culture glorifies everything Raging Capitalist says it does.

Now, with that being said, I read all of those lyrics. Obviously yes, you're right, some rappers are starting to change things, but then there will always be artists that rebel against the mainstream in any genre.

I do find it ironic that one of the messages in those same lyrics you point to as a positive example also point to other rappers as doing the exact same thing Raging Capitalist says.

When your argument argues for the other guy, it might be time to reevaluate the argument.

I will say again that you're right that some artists are pushing for positive images, but did you ever consider that they might be the exception that proves the rule? According to the lyrics they certainly seem to think so.

@JimP1969-Can you point out the lyric that proves RC's point, please? Hopefully we can discuss why you think it is negative.

Thanks.

PS-Positive lyrics have been around in hip hop from the beginning. The lyrics I posted for DLS are probably ten years old if not older (especially the album which 'Millie' is on). Just like anything else in society, any society, appealing to the lowest common denominator sells. Sex, drugs, violence, etc. This goes for movies, books, music, art, etc. This is a ubiquitous problem and not one only found in Hip Hop.

How did this 'go wrong'? Isn't violence a basic tenet of rap music? seems like a standard rap video.

Roger.... unfortunately, not enough.

I only hope more "rappers" meet the same fate they promote in their "music". I believe that would be fitting recognition of their talents.

Labeling all rap music as a plague is like labeling all Muslims as terrorists. Be respectful to the genre and single out 'gangster rap' if you want, but not all rap music is about bitches and ho's.

Telling a story in prose is one of the oldest forms of lyrical expression dating back to the Oresteia Trilogy.

XDm9mm: "I only hope more "rappers" meet the same fate they promote in their "music". I believe that would be fitting recognition of their talents."

You hope more people are murdered because they produce music you don't like? Oh boy, you sound like a real fun person to be around.

Blaming violence on rap music is like blaming a gun for someone getting shot, it's idiotic. Yes, rap music has a culture of violence around it, and discusses violence in it's lyrics.

However, not everyone that listens to rap and lives in the culture kills someone.

Just like everyone who owns a gun doesn't go on a multi-state killing spree.

The blame for violence rest solely on the shoulders of the person who instigates violence. The influences and triggers for that violence are irrelevant.

There are millions of people who live under the same influences, who encounter the same triggers, and yet miraculously, they don't kill anyone.

The person who pulled the trigger is the criminal. Not his gun. Not his music. Not his political party. Not his gang (if any). Just him.

@vglance,

You are correct when you say lyrical prose dates back to ancient Greece. The comparison would be more appropriate if the Greeks' elocution sounded like a bunch of auctioneers trying to sell a mother f--ker.

Sundiver

The blame for violence rest solely on the shoulders of the person who instigates violence.

vglance, Jake H and Sundiver....

My error... and I accept the smack down.

I should have noted the "gansta rap" as vglance indicated. And as you all know, it instigates and glorifies violence not only against the "authorities" but anyone and everyone.

Isn't 99.9% of it about: violence, crime, sex, drugs, drinking, gambling, money, partying, being rich, dying, (sadly) raping, prostituting, killing, assault, or some other bad thing I haven't thought of?

Don't say its a generalization when its really true.

Good point, IG. If you think about it real country music was about the same things. Only it was good.

Singing a song about playing poker and drinking beer on a Friday night after work with your buddies is not the same as rapping a song about going up into a casino and throwing down thousands of dollars on gambling and expensive hip booze trying to get women. Both involve gambling and alcohol but they are inherently different. And for the record I generally don't like Country music, I just recognize the differences.

Faster horses/younger women/older wiskey and more money! And for the record I generally don't listen to it either. 60's-70's and early 80's were for me as good as classic rock, blues and even gospel. Not trying to start a pissing match, I hate gangsta crap and all it stands for- but country has EVERYTHING you talk about in it. Peace to you and have a great day. Not sarcasm either.

@impatient girl-But you are doing exactly that (generalizing). Otherwise you are insinuating that you have listened to EVERY piece of music with all sub genres in hip hop. I doubt you can truthfully make that claim.

I am NOT a fan of gangsta rap. I have disliked Jay Z for a long time because every song I heard from him for the majority of his career because of many of his songs claiming he was better than another person because he had more money than the listener.

Dwight Yokum's lyrics-

“I searched ’til I found them, and I cursed at the sight

“Of their sleeping shadows, in the cold neon light,

“In the dark morning silence, I placed the gun to her head.

“She wore red dresses, but now she lay dead.”

You said you don't like country; do you perchance like rock music? Here you go:

Slayer: "No apparent motive. Just kill and kill again. Survive my brutal slashing. I'll hunt you till the end."

Dead Kennedy: "I kill children, I love to see them die. I kill children to make their mothers cry. I crush them under my car and I love to hear them scream. I feed them poison candy and spoil their Halloween. I kill children, I bang their heads in doors. I kill children, I can hardly wait for yours."

AC/ DC "Night Prowler" "No one's gonna warn you, no one's gonna yell 'attack!' and you can't feel the steel until it's hanging out your back, I'm your night prowler."

Should I make any generalizations based my my small sample size? What do you think?

You seem too impatient to listen to the music yourself to offer an informed opinion, but instead you post your fears and generalizations about the genre like a guy who says all Country music is about breaking up with your dog because your wife ran away, or all Rock music as devil-worshipping screeching played by skinny guys in Spandex and too much hair product as an excuse to slam into each other into violent mosh fits to burn off all the Yagermiester you guys tend to drink when you get all hyped.

I would mention who rap music is marketed towards (suburan kids) but that would just get you all confused and twiterpated, so I let you live your fears for a few more posts. Ah, majority America, you're so deliciously obtuse.

I am by no means a fan of rap music -- be it the "gansta" variety or not -- but to label it a "plague" is pretty silly and reactionary in my opinion. I may not be able to readily identify with the majority of its artists and lyrics, but I can still appreciate the talent required to produce it, and recognize it as a valid and powerful form of cultural expression.

@PDK form of cultural expression

If promoting violence, prostitution, rape, drugs and all the other bad stuff is called cultural expression, it should be outlawed. There are many other things that could be as you say cultural expressed.

@Rodger-Do you express the same indignation for violent rock music (see my post in section one) or R rated violent movies?

Pulp Fiction, The Godfather, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Teerminator, Halloween, etc. Should these artistic expressions be outlawed?

Yes, but the article is about rap, not movies... I have never seen Pulp fiction, Halloween and, anything with Arnold whats his name in it is not anything I would care to watch.

Were they wearing hoodies?

@Roger-I know what the article is about. I have read it.

This is your quote: 'There are many other things that could be as you say cultural expressed.'

I am trying to see which of the 'many other things' you also have a problem with that have depictions of 'violence, prostitution, rape, drugs and all the other bad stuff' as you put it and to gauge your level of outrage towards those art forms.

PS-Have you ever noticed we don't hear stories about violence, drug use, etc that occurs in the suburbs, or about rock music, etc having violent or misogynistic lyrics? But if something occurs in an urban neighborhood, it makes all the news feeds?

A shock just as big as the fatal accident is: People still make rap videos??? The 90s are over guys!!

If promoting violence, prostitution, rape, drugs and all the other bad stuff is called cultural expression, it should be outlawed

Roger - I'm afraid the constitutional right to free speech here in the U.S. applies equally to forms of expression that you personally find distasteful. Just like it protects your right to express your disdain and hostility for rap music. Ya can't have one without the other . . . it's just the price of freedom. Peace.

@Shotyme & PDK

I think you misunderstood what I meant. The many other things that could be expressed is to long to post here. Why not culturally express acts of kindness rather then the hate I have heard in Rap. Lets not talk about what we all see on TV and in the movies. I am talking only about rap music. Not country music, not the rhythm & blues, not pop, not rocknroll, all of that is an entirely different subject. Do I like some of it, NO ! My outrage is that we tolerate it. Like PDK says, rappers do have the right to express the hate, the violence and all the other misguided stuff they rap about. But because they have that right does not make it OK or exceptable. Over the years the Rappers that have been shot and killed are victoms of thier own hate, that is sad. I do understand your views Shotyme & PDK . Peace !

@What_the_81-I'm guessing you haven't looked at the Billboard Top 100 in a while...

@Roger-I see what you are saying. And to the extent that we should take all negative imagery to task, I agree with you.

However, I do not like singling out the negative portions of urban culture, because, as I have stated, 'suburban' culture is usually shown in a positive light, when in fact all is not gumdrops and sunshine on Listeria Lane.

Thank you for your clarification and have a great day Roger.

@Shotyme . . . .

I Understand, and your welcome. Because I live high in the mountains, I can not really comment on suburbia

I do listen to "their" music David, just like I listen to rock and roll, country, jazz, blues, and classical.

And you know what? I'm white, and I'm not afraid of black people. What I am afraid of is people like you.

I suggest you retire from the analysis business.

David K.-3636768

You think rap music makes people fear black people? speak for yourself you scaredy cat!!! Black people should be fearing white people because of their incessant use of the fiddle and banjo!! That sound is way more traumatizing than rap music filled with threats and gunshots!!

Exactly... another shooting. Big news.

I wonder if this kid looked like obama's also. Is sharpton going to be there? Oh wait... this is black on black violence. that doesn't seem to be a big deal but if the shooter was white... hypocrites.

I know, the Philadephia-Camden, NJ area is one of the slumiest, crime ridden metro areas of the country. Why should anyone be surprised by a fatal shooting? isn't this a common occurence???

Nothing--everything went right.

I hear it's already been nominated for several NAACP "Image" awards.

"they failed to state the reason for the shooting"

Really? He was surrounded by morons playing with guns to try to be cool for a video camera... and you still need to have a reason explained to you?

maybe they need to add free gun safety classes at the inner city YMCA's... might help to show them where the safety switch is at least

who are you talking to or are you just rambling?

I would agree.. you can educate a dummy but you can't fix stupid..

you are proud to say that you have a thought? you should try having thoughts more often, you'll realize they aren't that big of a deal.

If you had a son would it share any genes with humans?

Yeah, but not the half from yo mama!

If he had a son, he'd be POTUS some day.

Shhhhhhhhh! Only black people can say that they all look alike.

Although, apparently even a rich, half-white, lawyer/politician, is allowed to if his name is Obama.

boy of the jungle...

So you like to screw dead people? Not only am I not surprised, but it explains everything about you worth knowing.

Well you obviously care. You took the time to click on and read the article AND post a comment about it. I'm sure someone as important as you had waaaay more important things to do this morning. Right?

nah, this is just another case of when keeping it real goes wrong.

uh uh we waz doin dis uh uh robry...I mean video

You're an idiot John-3403713

Nuff said.........

Its good to know that I'm not way off in believing that this society is as racist as it ever was.

Its great right, its like the internet has taken us back to 1950's, the good old days. :P

Correction: RAP, the noise of the....

Rap is NOT music.

I know! Somebody must really hate rappers a lot to drive by and shoot them while they're in the middle of a video...