On the track
entitled Dogg Pound 4 Life, off the Above the Rim: Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994),
embodies present day ‘culture of violence’, and demonstrates the mode of
personality ‘innovator’ as described by Merton.
The culture of terrorist and secret agents dominated the scene during
the 20th century, but since the 1980s (Y2K) up to present day, the
subculture of gang violence within the continental United States has taken over
from the international activity of terrorist and secret agents; this is
evidenced by major events from 2000 up to present day. Gangbanging is a subculture that has many
distinctive ‘types’. In the first verse
of the track, Kurupt is going to ‘clear
out[1]’
a spot[2],
occupied by a rival gang or another group, which is apparently profitable in
drug sales. Also he is out to prove to
himself, his OGs[3],
fellow members, and ‘hood[4]’
that he is willing to commit ‘murder’ for his ‘set[5]’
or betterment of the hood. In the hook
you hear them say, “This is Dogg Pound fo life…I just don’t give a fuck”. Daz Dillinger in the second verse raps on ‘coming up[6]’
in the dope game. He starts out as a
street level drug dealer, but moves up from ounces to kilos of cocaine. Situational violence is evidence here because
he also talks about how he has to carry a ‘strap[7]’
to protect his newly acquired spot of sales.
In the third verse Snoop Dogg talks about how “…yo, boy it’s a G with a
blast degree. 187 ain’t shit but a
misdemeanor. I seen a lot niggas “come
up”, a few niggas “done up[8]”. Some rest in peace with they Khakis heavy
creased…” This song embodies Miller’s focal concerns[9],
but Human Ecology[10]
best explains this subculture of gun violence.
Viewing the city as a growing organism, the heterogeneous contact of
racial and ethnic groups in the city often leads to competition for status and
space, as well as conflict, accommodation, acculturation, assimilation, or
amalgamation (Hagen, 2013, p. 165) .
In her report on gun control
Nancy Cordes ( 2013) reported that a new bill would be written that
would close the loop on ‘gun show’ purchases, and stregnthen mental health
reporting in background checks from the states to the feds. “Current gun control laws
in the United States are varied by state; federal level laws are most often
very broad, widespread rules. Title I of
US federal gun control laws is the Gun Control Act of 1968. This gun control
law prohibits certain categories of individuals from possessing firearms. Some
of the categories include convicted felons, fugitives from justice, unlawful
drug users, and those who have been dishonorably discharged from the
military. This gun control law also
prohibits people younger than 18 years old from "possessing handguns or
handgun ammunition with certain exceptions for employment, target practice,
education," and certain outlined defensive purposes. The next most important gun control law is the
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act.” (LAWS.com, 2013) For
the first time mental health will be instituted into background checks for
individuals who want to purchase hand guns.
This is a good thing because it furthers the reach of keeping guns out
of the hands of those that are mentally unstable, and will perpetuate
workplace, school, neighborhood, event, or some other type of violence where
mass murders can occur. One piece of
legislation that will be missing is for Hadiya Pendleton whom was killed by a
stray bullet as two rivals shot it out with one another.
[1] Clear out – to remove all
persons and property from a certain location by some method of force, usually a
drive-by shooting or some other form of gun violence
[2] Spot - location in which individual is making large
amounts of money from an illegal activity
[3] OGs - original gangster
[4] Hood – the organization or
group that an individual is affiliated with through birth, loyalty, or
affiliation
[5] Set – the gang in which an
individual is affiliated or the gang in which he or she claims
[6] Coming up – being
successful or a success in some form of hustle, acquiring all material
possessions along with acquired respect
[7] Strap – a hand gun,
usually a 9mm, .45, .380, 50 or 40-caliber
[8] Done-up – to kill everyone
in sight with your gun; usually occurs when clearing out the spot or gaining
respect
[9] Focal concerns – Miller’s
theory of crime that reflects an overemphasis on lower-class values
[10] Human Ecology – the study
of the interrelationship between human organisms and the physical environment
