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Is being a rapper really the most dangerous job on earth?
In November, the hip-hop community lost another of its biggest stars to gun violence with the death of Takeoff, one-third of superstar group Migos. He was shot dead in Houston late last year when he was 28.
Tributes poured in from all over social media, but two-time Grammy-winning Dallas recording artist Jamal “Jarborne” Cantero sparked the debate over the incident with a Facebook post encouraging the artist to become a rapper. caused it.
“It discourages artists from becoming rappers. It’s a dangerous lifestyle and the artform is degrading,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Jah Born is best known for his work with Erykah Badu, but his list of collaborators includes RZA, Will Smith, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. This year he released his two albums and his one instrumental collection.
“It’s heartbreaking to be honest,” he says of the violence in hip-hop. “And I work with a lot of young artists. It is heartbreaking to know some of these children and to know that they are trying to live their dreams in such a dangerous environment.”
Takeoff’s death adds to the more than a dozen notable recording artists killed in gun violence in 2022. This includes his reigning chart-topping PNB Rock (“Selfish”), Trouble (“Bring It Back”) and the recent killing of Jada Yongan (“Elimination”). In Dallas, the rapper’s BFG Straap was shot dead in his September. The episode focused on his 2020 death of North Dallas rap star MO3, who was shot dead on Interstate 35, was released on his new WEtv television series as part of his season debut. will be unveiled in December. hip hop murder.
Jah Born’s post sparked a range of opinions and debates about which artist transformed hip-hop from its house party roots into the informal soundtrack to American street violence. Naturally, the names that came up in the discussion were the late Biggie and Tupac, and he was in groups like NWA.
Hip-hop’s first high-profile death came in 1987 when Bronx-born DJ Scott LaRock was shot in his Jeep by men angry with his bandmates. In his November report, CNN wrote that every year since 2018, a major rapper has died from gun violence.
Jah Born isn’t the only one with feelings. Fellow producer, podcaster and rapper John Brown agrees that artists shouldn’t be in rap, but it’s largely because they’re unprepared to face the industry’s financial instability. because of the nature.
“If they’re completely unprepared for what’s to come, I will dissuade them,” Brown wrote in the text. Rooted and as they say, being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. Be yourself, even if it doesn’t seem like it.
“All the artists I started with aren’t doing it anymore, so I’m probably one in 10 and watched it to get the lowest level of notoriety. It’s not for the weak.” ”
In Jah’s post, Wealthy Records’ Eric Keyes pointed out that Houston, where Takeoff was murdered, is a high-crime city.
“Like you, Jamal, I grew up in Houston. It’s one crazy donkey city,” he wrote. Then two of my parents’ best friends were murdered in his home on separate occasions. H-Town is a big mess. Everywhere is bad. He was shot in his Denton home in July 2012. It’s frustrating because there’s always silly bullshit that isn’t worth taking precious lives. ”
One theory that emerged soon after the rapper’s death was that artists were often killed by their own handlers for insurance money, increasing demand for their recorded work.
Jeremy Jones of Dallas commented on Jah’s post: Rappers are actually the most difficult people to secure insurance (life, tours, etc.) for a variety of reasons. Please stop spreading false information like this. This man lost his life on the street, like many of his other brothers. This is bigger than a wrap. This is a big issue in our community and not just in the entertainment industry. ”
Other celebrities in hip-hop have made similar claims about the dangers of being a rapper.In a 2019 interview, rapper Jim Jones said being a rap artist was “the most dangerous job in the world.” The controversy has since led to other chart-topping acts, including Big Sean, Fat Joe, Fabolous, Fibio Fallin, The Game, and the Boozy Badass. Featured by a rap star.
“With all due respect, being a rapper has become the most dangerous job in America,” Fabolous said in December 2020 after Miami rapper Zoe Draz was gunned down.
The Game sent out a warning to the young rap star on Twitter in November 2020, tweeting: Loading clip. ”
Fresh out of a national tour with Dizzy Wright, Dallas rapper Devante Fields often shows off money, cars and designer items on his Instagram account, but such a “young recording artist” doesn’t. Game mentions that there is one.
Fields says he doesn’t intend to discourage other emerging artists from entering the music industry, but advises them to be cautious about how they present themselves.
“No, I don’t mean to discourage them, but if you’re a controversial street artist or you’re going to wear jewelry, just tell them to be aware of your surroundings and hire a security guard. I’ll keep it,” he says. It may be safe, but they have to move belligerently. ”
Acclaimed lyricist Rakim Al-Jabbar says audiences need to remember that music is another form of entertainment, and that the people behind the songs are not who they appear to be. Is called.
“Artists and the public need to remember that this is art, we are not the characters we portray in music,” says Al-Jabbar. “This is entertainment, not real life. People are targeted not because they rap. either a lifestyle that engulfs them in a constant cycle of slaughter in the underworld.”
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the most dangerous jobs are those involving fishing and hunting, which produce the highest number of fatalities. This list also includes construction workers and truck drivers. Gun violence in hip-hop is not easily quantified and is consistent with the prevalence of gun violence everywhere.
Jah Bourne, one of the musicians who said, Observer Back in June, Deep Ellum became too dangerous for performers to stand by his side.
“Right now, this season, given the current state of affairs, I think being a rapper is definitely buzzing about the top five most dangerous jobs on the planet,” he says. This is a reference to the old hip-hop adage, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems,” which states that the more successful a musician is, the more dangerous the profession.
“Especially if you’re a successful rapper and your music talks about streams, violence and street activism, you qualify for the top five most dangerous jobs on the planet,” says Jah Born.
Outside of gang violence, Jah Vaughn believes that hip-hop as an art form is in decline due to the lack of originality among today’s artists. And he has a point. In August, an AI rapper whose lyrics were automated by robots signed with Capitol Records.
“You can’t really get a lot of attention these days to a generic artist dropping music because they’re better than others in their genre,” he says. “For example, if you look at young artists, they have the same type of sound, the same rhythms as other artists. It’s considered poisonous to people, and in that sense, yes, it’s degraded.
In a summer collaboration project with North Texas recording artist Kaution Mr.700, CognizantJah’s conscious music addresses some of his problems.
“Cognizant “It’s about accepting our reality as people,” he says. Open-minded about change. There are some issues that need to be fixed, so we need to improve our overall condition as people. ”
Hip-hop may be in a dark space, but Jah Born isn’t. The producer teaches music production at Richardson’s Keep Spinning DJ Academy.
“I’m going to run and teach a creative agency,” he says. “That’s the future of my music.”
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