The media has played a major role in revealing the development within British youth culture. It’s been said that it exposes violence in a number of ways through TV, video games, and even the news. We see so much violence through the media so some people believe that we have become laid back to it. The generation involved with gun crime is getting younger and younger to a point where boys as young as 13 are drifting in and out of the ‘gangster’ lifestyle.However I and Naomi feel that nowadays the media is used as an element to send out positive messages towards youth culture. There’s films and TV shows that reveal why gun crime is rising and how it can be avoided. Artists that have had close experience or even affected by gun crime in London use their music to send out positive messages and inspire people.
Inspiration Through TV Shows
Ross Kemp did a TV series supported by sky one where he looked into gang culture where shootings, stabbings and assaults have been effecting society. Despite several tragic events, the availability of guns and knives on the streets of London continues to be a major problem, but more alarming is the willingness of youths to use them with fatal intent. Ross Kemp got close to some of the gangs on the streets of South London to find out how they have evolved, why the situation has become as serious as it currently is and what can be done to bring things back from the brink. Looking at different sides of the problem Ross he spoke to both members and victims of the London gang scene. This show revealed the lives of London’s gang members and the communities affected by them, and offered viewers unique insights into how and why so many young lives are being consumed by violence in Britain’s capital, and how people have generally been involved in gangs and are trying to get out, or people lucky enough to have gotten out and are now trying to help deter people in their community from joining gangs.
Clip from one of the episodes
“Childhood? That’s dead man, died a long time ago” - Quote from one of the Gang kids
Inspiration Through Music
Grime is a genre of urban music which has been developing in London's underground since the early 2000s. With its combination of influences from UK Garage, drum'n'bass, to hip-hop it is the latest style to evolve from the UK garage scene and plays a big part to youth culture. It has been criticized that grime artists were helping to create a culture "where killing is almost a fashion accessory and deeply racist,” Government officials’ referred to popular artists and crews as "boasting macho idiot rappers”. Although the government has one point of view, the artists and listeners point of views are completely different. Their lyrics are capturing, encapsulating, and preserving the life that they have lived on the streets every day.
So Solid crew was one of the leading artists to bring garage music to a mass audience however their gigs often ended in violence. Although So Solid Crew was criticized for their violent content they still attempted to send out messages through songs such as ‘Broken Silence’ which spoke out about government prejudice which they felt they had faced. A former member quoted “the thing that makes artists’ great worldwide is when you can go through things like that and come out and still have a smile on your face."
Giggs is a current UK grime artist that the majority of today’s youth culture looks up to. He is known for rapping slowly in a low voice, which he described as "something different, enough to separate me from all the competing others" he released his debut independent album “Walk in da Park” which received mainly positive reviews, and was very successful, selling out in most HMVs in the first two days of release. Giggs also has his own clothing brand, SN1 wear, including T-shirts, jackets and caps quoting previous lines from his songs.
However Giggs recent UK tour was canceled due to police intervention and has been said that the police do not like him because he is one of the UK's few genuine rappers, having served two years in jail on firearms offenses. On his debut single, “Don't Go There”, Giggs raps about leaving a life of crime but that he's still prepared to murder somebody with a gun, should the need be. Teenagers like to listen to him because he reminds them of their older, tougher brothers while other people admire Gigs for his raw storytelling. I think instead of the police canceling his shows they should invite Giggs to do an anti-gun concert or sign him up to talk to teenagers about preventing the growth in gun crime because kids actually listen to him and see him as a role model. Giggs is using his past life experience involved with gun crime and youth violence and is making a positive impact out of it, by sending out a message that even when you have been through a lot of things which will affect you for the rest of your life you should not just forget all about it, you should use it as motivation to be successful in life.
Bashy is another UK grime artist seen as a positive role model who has been bought in today’s modern society. He uses his music and personal experience to inspire and motivate young people He has been very vocal about time as a bus driver, in order to promote the idea that working is cool to teenagers. He was still a struggling independent musician but still did all he can to be successful. His involvement in popular films such as Kidulthood and Shank has helped him make a phenomenal impact between mainstream media and the business community.
In 2007 he released the song "Black Boys" for black history month. It was this track that propelled Bashy into the nation's consciousness, catching the imagination of a country suffering from many incidents of violence amongst its inner-city youth. With frequent reports of shootings and stabbings on news bulletins, and with the media continually focusing on the lack of role models in certain communities, he felt that the nation’s inner city youth needed a reminder that they had a number of positive role models they could look to for inspiration. His debut single provoked controversy, as some people called the track racist. This prompted the governing body Ofcom to investigate. Rumors soon began to circulate that the track had been banned from T.V. Certain sections of the black community were outraged; groups were set up on the social networking site Facebook in order to fight the ban. This prompted people of many races to get behind and support Bashy, in a united stand against racism. It was as a result of this publicity and grass roots action that Bashy was invited to perform at the Love Music Hate Racism Rally in 2008 at Victoria Park, to a crowd of 100,000. He was asked to take the main stage alongside Damon Albarn. Bashy persuaded various British artists share their views on the subject and feature on the track.
Although Grime music is portrayed as the reason why gang culture is a rising issue in London, others might think differently. Grime music has allowed young artists to produce creative and innovative musical style and has also given them a reason to move away from violence. It’s allowed grime artists such as Dizzee Rascal to increase the popularity and fame of grime and grime artists internationally.
Inspiration Through Films
Bullet Boy is a 2005 film set in London, starring Ashley Walters (former member of so solid crew) about a family in crime ridden east London, the eldest son's involvement in gun crime, and the effects of this on his younger brother. BULLET BOY tells the story of two brothers growing up in one of London's most volatile neighborhoods, where a minor street clash escalates into a cycle of
violence that has tragic repercussions. The key classification issues in this film were language, violence, sex, sex references, drugs references and drug use. It was perceived as a serious film with a naturalistic style and clear points to make about contemporary issues such as gun crime and other criminal activities.
Bullet Boy Trailer
The narrative of Bullet boy is shown in a very basic manner through voice overs and texts shown throughout the trailer to back up and go with the voice overs. This consists of young males involved in violence and crime by the use of guns which results to them getting into trouble with the police. The narrative indicates the target audience of the film as most of the characters shown are mostly males and the only main female character is portrayed as a sexual object. Throughout the trailer, there are many props used such as guns, handcuffs, cigarettes, torches, and baseball bats. This connotes that the film will be based around crime as there are many scenes in the trailer which show the males in the characters being arrested or put at gun point. This allows the audience to be familiar with the genre and also have an idea about the narrative of the film.
Bullet Boy inhabits an impulsive world where friendships and loyalty are tested to the extreme, the transaction of fate and circumstance seems as casual as a coin toss, and the slightest flare of emotions can set off a devastating ripple of events. The film takes these two boys, their friends, families and enemies through an eventful and emotional three days as one gun changes hands leaving in its wake a trail of destruction. The title BULLET BOY doesn't just refer to one person. It could apply to any of the younger male cast: during the course of the film a gun passes between all of their hands. This film was based on a subject that wasn’t really explored in a British cinema during the time, the generation of kids growing up in areas where guns have become a fact of life, where boys attempted to become men before they even reached teenage years. The film ends by asking what will become of the younger brother, whether he would follow his brother’s footsteps or follow a path that could avoid him ending up like his brother.
Kidulthood is a 2006 British drama film about the life of several teenagers in west London based on real kids and real stories. It was directed and written by Noel Clarke who also stars in the film. It’s just another day at school for West London teenagers Trife, Jay, and, Moony: fights and bullying in the classroom, sex on the playing field and drugs in the schoolyard. But things are about to flip sharply for this crowd with school canceled following the tragic suicide of bullied a girl, the teenagers are all forced to face their own responsibilities and blame for the situations they have got themselves into. Kidulthood takes all the violence, sex and intoxication experienced in a teenage year and condenses it into a single day. Kidulthood gives information about the issues and lifestyle that certain young people experience and provides emotional release through close identification with the characters and tragic outcome. We can identify Propps sphere of action where Trevor is the hero and Sam is the villain.
Music used in this film falls into the genre of grime and hip hop attracting the target audience of youths who experience similar situations as the characters. Costume worn by the actors is clothing that is usually worn by an average teenager living in London. Much of the acting takes place on the streets or flats which gives the text authenticity. The film does not represent the glamorous side of west London but the youths who are portrayed using negative stereotyping. Although Kidulthood will mainly appeal to those of a young age group, it could possibly appeal to those of the older generation due to the actors and actresses. The way in which the film will be able to attract those of an older generation is if they were able adapt to the older characters or directors even. The film touches on some very noticeable issues without trying to pretty them up. The storyline might be a bit shocking for some but, unfortunately, it is very real. Films that tackle teen gangs or cliques are the backbone of modern independent cinema. The best examples of the genre communicate with teenage audiences in a language that they identify with, while also reminding adults what it was like. They are also a wake-up call to conservative adults.
Clip from the film where bullying occurs
Someone who grew up where kidulthood was set made a statement saying “Kidulthood is a deeply shocking film. It reminded me of my childhood in a lot of ways. There were fights in our morning assemblies almost daily. My brother's best friend was suspended for beating up the headmistress's husband. The previous headmaster left within two years of joining. His background was in the Salvation Army but this was one social challenge too far. And this was primary school.I moved to another area of London in my teens, but I kept in touch and I hear terrible stories. Friends who became drug dealers. The friend I made at an evening class who confided that he slept with teenage girls in flats near the Tube station, Friends of friends who were stabbed. The plot of Kidulthood may be exaggerated but the heart of it rings true”
Kidulthood closes with a big teenage party in one of those chichi, double-fronted Victorian London houses hosted by someone who was desperate to impress his peers whilst his parents were away. This is where unacceptable teenage behavior occurs and violence rapidly results to death of another teenager. Kidulthood is able to educate those who watch it as it gives the audience an understanding into what people who live this lifestyle have to go through on a daily basis. The audience gets an inside look into how peer pressure can affect teenagers and how some can be persuaded into living a dangerous lifestyle; this is represented by the crimes they commit and the things they get up to. By viewing the trailer alone you will be able to identify the overall message which is telling the audience that you should not be a follower or maybe even a leader but that you should choose your own path into how you wish to live your life.
