Thursday, December 17, 2015

Bars and Blood: Chicago Hip Hop Artists Defend the Music

Chicago has produced some of Hip-Hop music's biggest acts: legends like Twista, Kanye West, Common, and a host of rising superstars like Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Noname Gypsy. While some of the messages in the music coming from Chicago have been positive, others have continued to perpetuate what Chicago is often known for - violence.

In October of this year, The Daily Beast dubbed Chicago America's Mass-Shooting Capital. In 2014, the FBI reported that there were more than 24,000 violent crimes in the city that housed almost 3 million people. "Chi-Town", as the city is popularly called in music and locally, often sees a spike in violent crime during its hot summers. It's those out of control crime rates that have helped the city gain another one of its nicknames - "Chiraq."

While critics believe that music is an important factor in causing violence, the inverse has been supported by numerous sources, claiming that violent environments inspire lyrical content which provides a way to cope. 

Click here for the full article.

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