Just listening to South Asian gangster rap alone is unlikely to make someone join a gang.
But does the music, which clearly glorifies the gangster lifestyle, need to be part of a wider conversation? Artists in the music industry say no.
Those who work with gangs say different.
WATCH: Critics target South Asian gangsta rap
“South Asian artists or this type of music is adding or influencing those type of things?” asked hip-hop artist Battlekatt.
“Unless there’s hard, solid facts to back that up, I think that’s completely wrong.”
Hip-hop artist DJ A-Slam said he wishes that he could tell parents that music is pushing kids into gangs — that way, the issue would be as simple as changing the music.
But it’s more complicated than that.
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“Those videos and songs have millions and millions of people listening to them so why are there not millions and millions of people joining gangs?” he asked.
He noted that people don’t go after “white rock music that Hells Angels listen to.”
“But yet they go Indo-Canadians are listening to Indo-Canadian music and that’s why they’re ending up in gangs,” he said.
“It’s such BS.”
The artist went on to say, “Eminem often talks about killing his quote unquote wife.
“Every time someone kills or beats their wife, which is atrocious, they don’t say they did that because of Eminem.”
“There might be somebody out there that is impressionable who may be a little bit gullible who may be swayed,” said Bhupinder Hundal, a communications professional.
“I think there is a discussion point to be had and I think we should be open about having that conversation about what kind of image do we want to project on to young people and the impact it might have.”
He added, “this is in no way saying it’s going to affect a lot of people, but it may affect one or two or some and that is enough to do a lot of damage on the streets.”
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Kal Dosanjh, the founder and CEO of Kids Play, a non-profit organization that works to keep young people away from gangs, feels that there’s a responsibility that comes along with becoming an icon or a legend within a community.
“They sing these songs and these kids are looking at them as heroes, and so yes, they do wear that burden,” he said.
“They have that onus, that obligation, that responsibility, and they’re accountable to the community.”
The debate surrounding rappers and gang life has carried on in Los Angeles for decades.
“Rap is the newspaper of the streets,” said Robby Robinson, who spent 35 years working as a gang probation officer in L.A. County.
He doesn’t want to see rappers “glamourize the gangster lifestyle.”
“Because when you are rapping, you are a role model,” he said.
“So I say, talk about things that are going to uplift people in the neighbourhood.”
For Battlekatt, “music is a form of expression.”
“That’s like telling van Gogh you’ve got to paint a certain way. You can’t do that, that’s just wrong.”
- Video report by Sonia Deol
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