Takeoff deaths highlight the unfortunate trend of black men dying young

• Takeoff, one of Migos’ rap trio, was shot dead on November 1.
• His murder reflects the troubling trend of popular hip-hop artists dying young. Many are violent.
• Cultural critics and musicologists have weighed this serious issue.

Takeoff, a 28-year-old member of the disbanded rap trio Migos, was shot dead in the early hours of November 1 while attending a private event at a bowling alley.

A Harris County coroner determined that Takeoff, whose real name was Kirschnik Kari Bor, died from bullets shot to the head and torso, but his label, Quality Control, said in a statement that he was hit by a stray bullet. claimed that

His death comes weeks after Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock died south of Los Angeles in September, and months after Atlanta rapper Trouble, 34, died in Rockdale County, Georgia in June. That was it. The deaths of these rappers shine a light on a larger unfortunate trend of black men in the spotlight dying young — many violent.

Male rappers and hip-hop artists have short lifespans

At least one rapper has been shot dead each year since 2018, according to CNN.

According to independent news outlet The Conversation, violence accounts for 51% of deaths among rappers and 51.5% of deaths among hip-hop artists. According to The Conversation, the average life expectancy for male rappers and hip-hop artists was around 30.

Even hip-hop black men who don’t die hard still live relatively short lives.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper Coolio passed away in September at the age of 59, “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” rapper DMX died of a heart attack in April 2021 at the age of 50, and DJ Kay Slay passed away. He died in April of complications from COVID at the age of 55.

Their deaths are consistent with data suggesting lower life expectancy for blacks, especially black men.

According to KFF, a nonprofit focused on health policy and health journalism, life expectancy for blacks is 71.8 years, compared to 68 years for black men. This figure is significantly lower than his life expectancy of 77.6 years for a white man and 78.8 years for a Hispanic. Environmental factors and social issues affecting black men contribute directly to this. According to the American Public Health Association, “racism is a driving force in the social determinants of health.”

Gun violence is an ever-present threat, rapper or not.

The murder of young black men in and out of the spotlight transcends regional boundaries.

Nipsey Hussle was delivering clothes to friends, Chinx was home with his wife and kids, Young Dolph was picking up his favorite cookies and Pop Smoke was relaxing in the Hollywood Hills. Little did anyone know that these daily activities would lead to their death.

In a country where gun violence looms as an ever-present threat to the average person, being famous can make you a bigger target. Even rappers are in danger. Nipsey Hussle was escorted by his friend and bodyguard girlfriend J Roc when he was murdered outside a Marathon clothing store in 2019.

Thanks to tools like social media, the odds of navigating the world of entertainment without encountering violence are slimmer than ever.

Distraught over PnB rock’s death, Nicki Minaj pleaded with friends and the rapper’s family not to share her location in real time for fear of being attacked.

Cultural critic and podcaster Van Lathan famously confronts Ye about the origins of slavery, pointing to a YouTube channel dedicated to documenting the “beef” between warring parties. . He described his web traffic derived from this sensational content as “the final stage of blackbody commodification.”

“What it’s doing is making it a sport. When something becomes a sport, players stop caring,” added Lathan.

“There’s a video of MO3 being shot on the highway. There’s a video of XXXTentacion and the situation. There’s a video of Pop Smoke’s corpse being taken out of the house, not Pop Smoke’s death. Argument with Wang Fong and what happened there.” that,” he continued.

No one who is not a musician or who is otherwise notable does not trend immediately when blood is spilled. “If you’re black, nobody cares if you die unless you’re dunking balls, rapping songs, or being killed by the police.”

Blame Victims for Deaths of Rappers and Their Loved Ones and Gun Violence

Genre-crossing artists often share their hunches about their own demise. But while songs like Beyoncé’s “I was here” are thought to reflect a full life, tracks like Shy Grizzy’s “Funeral” are the naysayers of hip-hop’s disease. It is also evidence of the state of affairs.

“It’s like, if I’m being honest, I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m from a really bad place. I’m from a really bad place. Music. It goes back to a very old time.

Rappers are often blamed for their own death. Actor Lakeith Stanfield has slammed gangster rap themes following Takeoff’s murder.

“The dangerous toxicity associated with this glorified black serial killer and the music and images that killed him led people to think it was cool to only hurt people who looked like them,” he said. Atlanta’ star wrote.

Similarly, hip-hop and rap are often used as depraves for everyday violence.

And after the deaths of Brooklyn rappers Jakeann McKenry and Terjay Dobson, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has declared war on drill rap.

“We pulled Trump off Twitter because of what he spewed. Yet we allow music [with the] Gun display, violence. Adams said in February that he did not address the issue of fostering the conditions under which artists make music. met a rap artist His stance made it clear that he was against “violent people who use drill rap to post people they’ve killed and antagonize those they’re trying to kill.”

But violence, especially gun violence, existed before hip-hop was conceptualized.

“In some ways, rap music and violence seem to go hand in hand,” said Scotty Morris, T. La Rock’s manager and manager of the late rapper T. La Rock. “But it’s not the music itself, it’s the environment. Violence existed long before hip-hop.”

How the Music Industry Perpetuates Violence

Walter Kimbrough, interim executive director of Morehouse College’s Black Institute, told an insider that the music industry can be dangerous, sometimes even promoting or selling violence.

“It’s people who talk about violence that the industry continues to reward, so I wouldn’t be surprised if violence becomes an integral part of the culture,” he said. Gender, ethical behavior,” Dillard University told Insider.

In her book “The Hip Hop Wars”, Tricia Rose writes that many respected artists in the genre rely on “the trinity of Gangsta-Pimp-Ho” in their music. This, as Rose suggests, puts violence, sexism, and racism at the forefront of the genre.

“The problem facing commercial hip-hop today is not caused by individual rappers alone. If you focus only on the trees, you’ll miss the forest more than the trees,” Rose wrote.

She added that the genre is seen by many as “evidence that black behavior creates ghetto conditions.”

Pointing to the artists, music industry executives and fans listening to the music, Kimbrough argued that they were responsible enough to go around the violence that music marked.

“I think we can have legitimate and genuine criticism. I think it’s important that we can do it against anything, but we have to be able to do it and not be anti-black.” “No, we love black people. I don’t think so.”