Gang Culture Essay

Carmen Flammia

Ms. Siami

8-3 Literacy

May 16, 2023

Research Paper

“Every year, around 2,000 murders are gang-related, and about 13% of all murders are gang related” (Safe At Last). The most common gang crimes are robbery, drug and gun trafficking, prostitution and human trafficking, and fraud. This means that people not affected could start to see an increase in crime in their communities/neighborhoods. Gangs are responsible for many of the crimes in the United States. This was brought to light through the music scene and rivalries associated through gangs at the time, but what types of music are associated with gang culture?

First, what is Gang culture? “Gang culture is an agreed group of norms and beliefs passed down to children essentially

The earliest prominent type of music listened to by gangs was Doo-Wop music. Doo-Wop music is a type of music combining Rythm and Blues and Rock and Roll, it also consisted of a harmony behind a lead vocal. Generally about love related topics like heartbreak and relationships. An example of this is The Platters and their song “Only You (And You Alone)” which is written about love and staying faithful. Later gangsters listened to Rock and Roll and very gritty tones with upbeat vocals and pitches. The Most common 60’s - 70’s gang music was Funkadelic and George Clinton were tops. Gil Scott Heron, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Guitar Watson, and Sly Stone was a little less popular. Later around 1985 came gangster rap “Gangster rap attitudes relate to anarchy and rebellion against established social mores and figures of authority” (Stallworth, R). Gangsta rap is a form of hip-hop music that became the genre’s main style in the 1990’s, a reflection and product of the often violent lifestyle of American inner cities afflicted with poverty and the dangers of drug use and drug

Some children and adolescents are motivated to join a gang for a sense of connection or to define a new sense of who they are. Others are motivated by peer pressure, a need to protect themselves and their family, because a family member also is in a gang, or to make money. Some risk factors for children joining a gang are: Growing up in an area with heavy gang activity, a history of gang involvement in the family, a history of violence in the home, too little adult supervision, unstructured free time, particularly during after-school hours and on the weekends, a lack of positive roles models and exposure to media (television, movies, music) that glorifies gang violence, low self esteem, sense of hopelessness about the future because of limited educational or financial opportunity, underlying mental-health issues or behavioral disorders. “In some communities, youth are intensively recruited or coerced into gangs. They seemingly have no choice” (AACAP, 2023). Basically, children are peer pressured into joining gangs because they feel it is the right thing to do to “uphold” tradition or standards inside the