An exerpt from his newsletter today - we made a national noise!!!

Hip Hop Violence -Will It Ever Stop?

*Folks in Seattle are a bit upset about the sweeping generalizations and concerns being raised about the fate of Hip Hop clubs in the Emerald City.. This comes after a altercation and shootings this past Saturday at a Pioneer Square night club called Bohemian Cafe and Lounge. Five people were injured and more then a dozen semi automatic handgun rounds were recovered. This incident prompted nearby club owners and patrons to call upon Seattle's city leaders to complain about the Hip Hop night and encourage them to either get the club owner Anthony Frazier to switch formats or close his doors. Over the past several years more then six Seattle Hip Hop clubs have had to either change format or close their doors. What makes this latest incident so disheartening is that nationwide incidents violence are being cited as proof that Hip Hop causes violence. An article in a
Seattle newspaper laid out a string of incidents from New Jersey to Minneapolis where Hip Hop clubs had to be closed down due to unruly crowds and a 'bad element' consistently showing up.

One club owner Tina Bueche was quoted as saying.. "There's something about the music that seems to bring out the stupidity of the people who hang around outside these clubs.

Another club owner pointed out his club Pioneer Square club Zasu
started experiencing fights and all sorts of drama outside the club during their Hip Hop night earlier this year. The clubs DJs returned to their original format of 80s music..
Still another club owner named Gregory Mountain stated in the article that "There was a violent scent in the air and that trouble was bound to happen".
There is no doubt some of the latest incidents of violence within Hip Hop won't help matters. Most notable is an altercation in which Boston Celtic basketball star Paul Pierce was stabbed 11 times at a night club the other night. Boston police made a public statement that the stabbing may have been attributed to members of the rap group Made Men. The group has vehemently denied any such involvement.. But clearly because of past problems the link between Hip Hop and violence is being established...

Rap star Queen Pen was arrested the other night for fighting another woman named Yolanda Roberts outside the Pulse Night club in New York City.. NYPD are investigating reports of possible gunfire. Adding even more fuel to the fire there was supposedly two men stabbed at an album release party for Shyne. The incident took place at the Tunnel Night club in Manhattan which has seen more then its share of drama over the years during its Sunday Hip Hop night. The fact that Shyne himself has been involved with incidents of violence including the now infamous night club shooting last December involving Sean Puffy Combs and his girl Jennifer Lopez, makes the conclusion of Hip Hop causes violence even easier to draw for critics.

There is no doubt that most Hip Hop fans see such conclusions
differently. Violence at Hip Hop clubs is attributed to conflicting groups from different parts of town appreciating the same music. There is a likelihood they may show up at the same venue and that's where the drama starts. The solution is to either have more venues or be aware of potential problems ahead of time and take the necessary precautions. In most cities there are usually only one or two Hip Hop clubs which means everyone shows up at the same place. Such is not the place with rock and other music genres where there are an array of night clubs which gives people lots of choices.

More venues mean that crowds from different neighborhoods can spread out and congregate in places that they most feel comfortable. For example, the recent club violence in Seattle was attributed to cats from Central District and West Seattle showing up at the same spot.
Perhaps if there were more Hip Hop nights and night clubs there
wouldn't be a need for everyone to show up at one spot. Because a Hip Hop night occurs so infrequently at night clubs it encourages everyone to come out and roll through with a deep clique when an event takes place. the feeling is if you don't attend the club that night, you will have to wait a full week before you can go again..
There's something about having that sense of urgency to be seen 'in the place to be' that often leads to unnecessary drama. People feel like they have to show out and act a fool. The other thing to keep in mind is that much of the drama at Hip Hop clubs usually occurs outside the club.. Hence that says that more way too many people are showing up then can get in.. It points to Hip Hop's popularity, but it also indicates that certain unique precautions aren't being taken..

We can all note that what I'm saying seems a bit illogical. But if you sit back and think about it.. other music genres have their own unique problems and quirky crowds, yet 'illogical' steps are taken to accommodate them. For example, at a lot of rock clubs, violence or aggressive behavior plays itself out with sanctioned mosh pits. Other venues that attract rowdy drunken types take the necessary precautions to best deal with those patrons. It may mean using plastic cups as opposed to glass or it may mean bolting down chairs..

Lastly I will be the first to admit that some of our own rap stars leave a lot to be desired with their behavior and propensity to somehow be in the middle of crazy situations.. Sooner or later folks will wake up and realize that what they do effects how people perceive Hip Hop and ultimately their ability to make money..
On a side note props to Seattle's Hip Hop community.. On Saturday, October 30th there will be a rally held in downtown to protest Hip Hop being scapegoated. Around 2pm Hip Hop groups and organizations like Darkside Productions, Student Hip Hop Organization of Washington. Jasiri Media Group, Pak Pros and others will be on hand to hold a press conference and rally. They intend to help clear up Hip Hop's often tarnished image and aggressively address the issues at hand.. Things will jump off at 4th Avenue and Pine around 2pm..
This is what Hip Hop needs to do more of.. Step up and protect the culture as well as our respective business interests..

written by Davey D
http://www.daveyd.com

Dove
~Sheepish Lordess of Chaos~


"One day all them bags gon' get in your way..." Erykah

"You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into" ~ S. Covey

Email: Tygereyz67@aol.com
Wanna paaaaaage me? Email up to 200 characters: Dove@myairmail.com