In the United States, police brutality has been evolving in the media in a high rate recently. The African American are violated and murdered by the officers of the law who should be protecting and serving them. However, the black men mostly suffer these injustices than women. Research shows that many of the African American does not have parents to guide them through their lives thus the law thinks that they will become hooligans or thugs. African American has as well played an important part in the music production, especially in rap and hip-hop. For instance, a hip-hop group from California known as Niggaz Wit Attitudes (N.W.A) was among the earliest African American significant figures of gangsta rap in hip hop music history. Nonetheless, this music has been taken in a very negative perception where several articles pose rap music as all about drugs. These videos and music portray the African American as being law breakers. This essay will talk about the police abuse on African Americans and their music (Agorist, 19).
In America, the black people took hip hop music as a way of getting out the particular perspective about the violence as well as brutality happening in south central L.A. This led to the introduction of the hip-hop group Niggaz Wit Attitude. The music group N.W.A was founded in Compton and established by Eazy-E who started a ruthless record with the help of Jerry Heller. This group was active from the year 1986 to 1991. Initially, this rap group involved of Dr.Dre, Eazy-E as well as their producers who include Arabian Prince and Ice Cube. Later Dr.Dre introduced Dj Yella and Mc Ren in the group. This group released their first studio album in 1988 named Straight Outta Compton. This song revealed the increased anger of the youths regarding the racism in the city as well as the police brutality towards the African American (Flatow, 22). This hip hop group referred their music as reality rap songs. Later the group released the song fuck the Police which protested on racial profiling. This song made the FBI send a caution letter to Ruthless Records warning them that assaulting and advocating law was not a good idea. In the year 1990, the group released another song 100 Miles and Runnin' which was directed to Ice Cube who departed the group after writing approximately half of Straight Outta Compton on his own.
Besides the music fueled by the rate of violence and race among the black Americans, N.W.Set fashions and trends that are still conspicuous to date such as thick gold rope chains, snapback hats as well as black sunglasses. Their styles were also cheap and affordable on any budget. Several sports team such as the N.W influenced hockey teams styles. Nevertheless, this group stills stand as the most influential with an enduring legacy in future within the hip hop music. Moreover, following the outrageous songs regarding the police violence to African Americans, the rap group reaches an innovative generation with straight outta Compton movie. Music was changed several times and the parliament- funkadelic split into another group in year 1970 where hip-hop children made their parent's old songs into new recordings. The war against drugs continued where President Reagan reinforced laws to shut down any suspicious rock house with a motorized beating. The officers did not care about the children and women in the houses. This abuse and egotism by the law happened when Rodney King a black motorist was beaten up by the cops (Agorist, 25).
The 1988's song Fuck the Police had a great message to the law. This song had an intense sensation regarding the racial discrimination happening in the ghetto for a long time. An interview from one of the gangsta rap group Mc Ren shows that all they wanted was respect and to their society on the map and the only way they could have achieved that is by open and an important way. Their songs were always cinematic as well as inspiring to everyone. For instance, the World Class Wreckin' Cru directly talked about domestic violence, theft and the excessive drinking in the city. This group helped the black Americans to discover that they are worth living anywhere in the world. Hip hop music as well opened the eyes of the listeners from outside the city who were unaware of violence going on in the towns. For example, a fifteen-year-old kid was murdered by a Korean shopkeeper in Las Angeles. Ice Cube revealed the incidence via rap because the story was not in the national news. This music helps the citizens of all races to understand problems happening and get a way of looking for solutions. Later, N.W.A music group was banned from the radio stations in 1991. This was contributed by the people who viewed their music as a glorification of drugs as well as disrespectful to women.
Since the introduction of Niggaz Wit Attitude hip-hop group, many changes has occurred. The group broke up over financial discrepancies. Dr.Dre partnered with the monster audio to promote his line of headphones which were picked up by the Apple Company. Recently, Dr.Dre has become a tech billionaire. Ice Cube which was first to depart from the group has taken the late night tracks and started several businesses. Right after Dr.re and Ice Cube had left the group, Eric Wright known as Eazy-E contributed little in the music industry in his career where after some years was admitted to a hospital and later passed on (Agorist, 18).
African American hip hop stars have raised a concern for the racism relations in U.S apparently because the community feels attacked. Police brutality has been deep in the ghetto where most of the N.W.Members grew up. They say it was too harsh and the cops did crazy things. Stopping the murder of innocent citizens, an alternative solution should be the used. Nevertheless, all black Americans life are significant as the lives of any other person from other race. Research shows approximately 313 African Americans were killed in the year 2012. This means, in every 28 hours a black person was killed (Leslie J, 11). This generated to a start of a movement called Operation Ghetto Storm which organizes operations against police brutality (Nomoyi, 25) . Additionally, the good police officers need to point out these aggressive officers to help get back the respect and dignity in the society for the African Americans. This violence has also being contributed by officers working in isolated areas which expose them to more challenges if moved in urban areas. Facing the racism, black Americans have found comfort in their music.
American citizens have shown concern regarding the level of violence, and most of them are worried about encountering these violent crimes by the officers. However, to solve this problem, all the citizens need to go to the use of lethal weapons by the law officers. This will help secure the lives of many citizens. Therefore, African Americans police should be allocated within the communities with a large population of black people. The police administrators, as well as community leaders, should be a good reflection of the society (Flatow, 19). Besides, they should bring together the police and the citizens thus the officers will understand that majority of African American are real people. As well, the community will see the cops as humans rather than murderers. Citizens similarly need to learn how to collaborate with the cops to bring change in the society.
Conclusion
Police brutality in an inevitable result of racism and aggressive policies within American's domestic security was highly experienced. For many years, African American race has been seen as a destructive perspective. Despite the African American being the subject of this violence and abuse by the officers, they have contributed significantly to American hip hop music. Several hip-hop groups were created like Niggaz Wit Attitude which released music reflecting the life black Americans under the strong pressure from the police. Some of these songs are Fuck the Police and Straight Outta Compton. This song had a great influence on the citizens like opening the eyes of listeners outside the city about the police violence and helping restore the respect and dignity of African American in the society.
Works cited
Agorist, Matt. "Ice Cube on Police Brutality, Where Does He Stand Now Versus 30 Years Ago?" TheFreeThoughtProject.com. TheFreeThoughtProject.com, 14 Aug. 2015. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
The author provides information on police brutality from now versus 30 years ago. Ice Cube, a member of the rap group, N.W.A shares his thoughts on police brutality which inspired his song F the Police. The source provides great background information on Ice Cubes acting and music career. It focuses on his views on police brutality and how nothing much has changed since he was young.
Flatow, Nicole. "What Has Changed About Police Brutality in America, From Rodney King to Michael Brown." Think Progress. ThinkProgess.org, 11 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2016
This online articles provides a timeline of events from the 1990s to now of different cases of police brutality. Starting from the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles to the case of Timothy Thomas of 2001 in Cincinnati to the death of Michael Brown. It shows how extreme police brutality can be and how now the issue of police brutality is worse, now many people are losing their lives.
Leslie J. most of the citizens stays in isolated and segregated areas.
The Safety and Dangers of Enclosed Communities: Space, Social Justice and the Emotions. 21 Jan 2011.
This online article shares the incidence where police brutalize citizens from who live in communities with few people who takes limited actions after a murder incidence.
Nomoyi, C. challenges faced by the less fortune in the ghetto.
A Challenge to Indigenous Institutions?" ActCriminology. 13 Jan.2000.
This cite provides information on how police violates citizens from the ghetto and walk away without charges placed against them.
"Police Killed More than 100 Unarmed Black People in 2015." Mapping Police Violence. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016
This cite provides numerical data of police brutality and the number of lives taken from police officers. The data was collected from 2015, which shows the number of deaths from police brutality and the likelihood that it occurred due to being black. It also shows the number of deaths of unarmed victims and shares a few of their stories.
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