C-Note and Niyah Tashay on Violence, Poverty, and the Rap Game

In the powerful YouTube video titled “Why Rappers Don’t Live That Long,” Niyah Tashay presents a raw and thought-provoking commentary on the relationship between rap music and violence. While rap has often been blamed for the increase in crime and violence in marginalized communities, Tashay argues that this perspective is not only misleading but also dangerous. She delves into the systemic issues of poverty, consumerism, and oppression that lie at the heart of the violence we see today. Niyah Tashay starts by reminding us that violence predates rap. She highlights historical gangs and organized crime as prime examples, emphasizing that the rap genre reflects the environment it was born into, rather than creating that environment. Rap, in its essence, is a poetic expression of the realities faced by those living in oppressive conditions. Blaming rap for violence, she argues, shifts focus away from the deeper, systemic issues like poverty and lack of resources. As Tashay notes, the glorification of violence isn’t limited to rap music. In fact, America’s military spending and its veneration of soldiers are examples of how violence is praised and legitimized in certain contexts. Yet, when individuals from marginalized communities engage in similar violent behavior, they are...