Hunter S. Thompson: OG?

Alex of i-Con cites one of my favorite nonfiction writers, Hunter S. Thompson, on what might drive people to become outlaws. This point about street gangs is especially valid: "As economists and sociologists have pointed out, crime really doesn't pay. Don't let the Clipse fool you, slinging rock is usually below minimum wage." Most people familiar with Sudhir Venkatesh's tales of being "Gang Leader for a Day" know that the bottom-line street soldier might as well make more at 7-11, with less chance of being killed, crippled, or thrown in jail. But the sense of belonging and community that comes with participation in group rituals often compensates for this.

As a side note, while both Alex and I enjoy rap music very much (in my case a little too much), a good deal of it is very much a Hollywood fantasy of crime. Much of the lyrics of popular artists, in fact, reference movies like Scarface, Carlito's Way, or New Jack City when talking about criminal exploits. The Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon released an album called Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, which was a conscious attempt to make a cinematic-sounding tribute to The Godfather and Sergio Leone's classic gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America.

Now, since this post is about alienation and crime, I'll post one of the few rap songs that actually deals with it:

Comments

[Alex @ I-Con]

I think OutKast is pretty good about realistic depictions of street life. On Aquemeni there's Big Boi's spoken-word conclusion to Spottieottiedopalicious:

Can't gamble feeding baby on that dope money
might not always be sufficient but the
United Parcel Service & the people at the Post Office
didn't call you back because you had cloudy piss
So now you back in the trap just that, trapped

And Andre 3000's Return of Da G:

Return of the gangsta thanks ta'
them n----s who got them kids
who got enough to buy an ounce
but not enough to bounce them kids to the zoo
or to the park so they grow up in the dark never
seein' light so they end up being like yo' sorry ass
robbin' n----s in broad ass daylight get down

[A.E.]

Yeah, you can't get more un-gangsta than rapping about UPS.

[Alex @ I-Con]

On a less gangsta and more gangster note, I've spoken with people who work with at-risk and gang affiliated youth, and one of the things I've heard suggested was to get them away. For example, when they return from prison, make them move somewhere else, because the criminal networks they have developed around themselves are too strong and their other support networks are too weak. A fresh start, somewhat paradoxically, may be best.

[Retro Jordans]

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[A.E.]

Alex, I knew Father Greg Boyle when I was in LA. We should have a good talk on this character and his approach.

[BillPetti]

Identity is a big part of it, but there is also a personal security component. If you are gang affiliated you reap the benefits of collective defense in relation to other gangs and criminals in your neighborhood. Basic dynamics under anarchy.

[A.E.]

There's a guy who applied neorealist thought to armed groups in the Third World, forgot his name but a great read.

[federal criminal lawyer]

Kinda tricky actually, but i like the fact.