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| source: trenchtrenchtrench.com |
Recent weeks have seen an ominous increase in the number of
stabbings reported in London, the rate currently standing at its highest in a
decade. Last year 80 individuals were fatally stabbed in London a statistic
that is likely to increase considering 50 people have died due to stabbings
already this year.
Politicians, officials and critics have failed to explain the
reasons behind this indiscriminate epidemic, instead, in their state of panic
and unreasoning, have shifted blame to the soundtrack currently dominating
communities and cities throughout the UK: drill music.
Having first developed in Chicago from artists such as Chief
Keef in 2010, drill music soon travelled across the Atlantic into South London,
where younger generation individuals seized the opportunity to perhaps distance
themselves from the genre of grime that preceded them.
Drill has, in the past, been largely ignored by mainstream media but is
currently coming into its own, with the increase of radio plays, millions of
streams, and the constant influx of high profile names as a result. The increase of attention being paid towards the rampant and often harsh style of
music has meant that the media have now embarked on the journey to place sole blame
on the music and the careers that it has launched for condoning and encouraging
violence.
Having considered lyrics and key themes characteristic of the
genre, it is clear that drill music does not have the intent to soothe listeners
or become a family favourite. It is packed with an endless list of slang for
weapons, particularly knives, methods of cooking up drugs, and ways to secure
illegitimate money for spending on high fashion brands. Having said this,
however, it does not mean to encourage or glamourise the culture that is
unfortunately an inescapable reality for some. Beneath the harshness of their
words, drill artists often speak the ultimate truths of what they have
experienced or seen others experience.
This is where the governments neglect reaches an all-time
high. Rather than addressing root causes of stabbings and a gangster mentality,
the government and media are instead looking at a by-product of the problem as
a way to get rid of it – something which is completely unfounded. There exist
far more problems and causes immediate to the influx of city stabbings, problems
such as poverty, Tory austerity, and the policing towards the discrimination of
races and classes.
America are constantly criticised for the laws they put on
guns and how guns may be accessed and used. In turn countries like the UK,
boast far greater restrictions on guns, yet ultimately fail to acknowledge that
while guns may be a smaller problem, weapon access remains crucial.
Time and time again, it is ignored that knives are the weapon
of choice in the UK. Access to them is ridiculously easy and efforts to put
greater restrictions in place are nowhere to be seen. Whilst it may be true
that guns account for far more deaths in terms of mass killings, the fact
should not justify the increased stabbings occurring in the UK.
Despite this all, drill music is being used as the ultimate
scapegoat for failings in the UK government's own regulation of rules, security
and consequently safety.
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| source: m-magazine.co.uk |
Rising star, Headie One, has been particularly singled out
for his style of rampant music, yet holds the conviction that artists are being
wrongly accused for what happens to be their reality. This goes on to speak
volumes about the politics leading this motion as failure to acknowledge that
this harshness and attitude reflects the reality of Headie One and hundreds of young people
throughout the UK remains.
Considering the topic of media platforms, and how they may
incite behaviour, brings my attention to the recent backlash Puma experienced
regarding their ‘House of Hustle’ event. The event was heavily criticised for
the atmosphere created through the use of invitations inviting guests to
“trap”, burner phones acting as props and many gang references sprayed upon the
walls.
It is obvious to all that Puma is a largely established brand
with a complex network, far more complex than the network of artists making
music. Up and coming drill artists, on the other hand, are far more
independent, therefore carrying less of the responsibility. They do not yet
have a brand big enough to accept the responsibility of influence and should
therefore not be expected to do so.
Surely it is far more unforgivable for a worldwide brand,
with no immediate ties to the harsh realities of drug culture, to then go and
glamourise drug use and dealing than those who have witnessed first-hand
experiences. Puma essentially endorse something that is material, something
that is tangible, at least far more tangible than the lyrics of a song.
It seems that mainstream media have yet again fallen into the
habit of picking out the easiest community upon which to place the blame. Once
again, the blame has fallen into the laps of the black community. Year in, year
out they are criticised for producing the countries’ source of violence and
crime, in the definitive act of crude ignorance. The increasing popularity of
the music has set expectations and opportunities of building a career out of
this music higher and higher, perhaps a financial reward for black Londoners
who are classed among the lowest paid in the city. If anything, the music
inspires others to follow in the footsteps of musicians in a musical means
rather than in a violent way. Artists associated with the drill culture
essentially reflect a means of success despite the hardships of life, the
violence just happens to be a consequence of the reality that many are forced
into.
Any inability to differentiate between the lyrics of a song,
and orders to be followed, surely lies in the hands of an impaired education,
parenting, and sense of society. There is no room for music to be held
accountable.
Music that references violence is not a new thing to the UK,
or the world for that matter, so how can something that has remained relatively
unchanged, be held responsible for a spike in violent behaviours?
Thank you for reading!
Aman
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