We have reached a decade high spike in teenage homicide rates in our capital city, with more than 50 fatal knife attacks on the streets of London this year alone. The logical place to look for answers would be towards the Government and their increased cuts to public services, however, these attacks are now being directly linked to a new genre of music that has permeated the streets; Drill.
Drill is a sub-genre of hip-hop with roots stemming from Chicago, mixing old-school drum machines, breakneck high-hat triplets and lyrics that often consider violence. Although it has become more than that, it’s a mirror reflection of the grim reality that a lot of these teenagers are facing in life and that is where the appeal potentially lies.
Music has repeatedly become the scapegoat amongst the set of complex factors that add up to crime in the UK. In the 1960’s and 70’s, it was mods and rockers that sparked panic across seaside towns. Then came the revolutionary movement of acid house, overhauling the way in which young people experienced live music. The most closely linked genre to Drill is rap, which caused its own set of problems throughout the 90s. It seems that this new sub-genre is the next to cause moral panic for its incitement of violence and aggrandizement of gang culture.
That being said, the artists that are creating these tracks aren’t pulling their lyrical inspiration from the sky, they are taking it from real life. Music is intrinsically interwoven to real-life scenarios, Drill artists are writing about real life, which is why the genre has become so popular in the austerity-ridden end of the line estates in London because it is undeniably relatable.
Many British media publications are discussing whether this new style is not only reflecting criminality but perhaps it may also be driving it? To this, I feel the answer is certainly no. Although people can underestimate the emotional charge that music can hold, it does not have the power to control your actions. It has the power to heighten an individual’s emotional response to a situation but it cannot force a hand to commit an unconscious act. Therefore, to blame the deaths of many young people on the creative outlet of unrelated individuals has very little correlation and is arguably in itself irresponsible.
The British government cannot use music as a scapegoat for the deaths of young people, it is an insult to their families and friends and will never provide an answer. Instead, there needs to be a review of spending cuts to police forces throughout the city, a halt to the chocking of resources for young people in these urban areas and a stark look at what austerity has done in dividing this country. The rise in teenage murders in the capital matches up neatly with the decade of austerity that has crippled the poorest estates on the outskirts of the city with residents growing tired of partisan explanations as to why their children are carrying knives with them to school. It is disturbing that the number of 15-year-olds that were treated for knife wounds in 2016/17 had risen 85% since 2011/12.
The blame cannot fall with a source of entertainment, it must fall with the individuals that are responsible for ending a life and with the establishment which do not appear to be tackling this fundamental social issue.
Although by no means should a knee-jerk decision be made in regard to approaching such a deep-rooted issue, that could only make the problem worse. Ramping up levels of random stop and search interactions with the police will only alienate young people in these areas further and misuse valuable police time. The solutions needed to tackle the epidemic of knife crime will be resource intensive and will take considerable time. But for now, figures of authority and the media must keep in mind that by taking an outlet such as music and using it to depreciate such a serious issue is disrespectful. Nothing popularises a rebellious youth movement like attempts to suppress it…
Comments