Miscellaneous
Gaston County, NC – Gabrielle Jones, just 7 yrs old, was killed this month by an uncle in an accidental shooting. According to local news reports, police said Jeremy Quintrel Lewis was shooting a rap music video inside the home Gabrielle lived which is located on Ware Avenue in Gastonia, NC. Apparently, Lewis used real guns as props for the video. When it comes to gun violence whether intended or not, it is very concerning that children are among the many, many victims of gun violence in the United States. Solutions to stop the carnage seem to be lacking. The United States culturally is based on violence and as a nation, historically, one could argue has been one of the most violent barbaric nations on the face of the planet. However, when it comes to the African-American community culturally, our rich and historic culture in the arts and music has been perverted by the music industry also known as the Recording Industry Association of America, a trade organization representing the industry players. They are most responsible for the content perversion. The RIAA is more responsible, other than the television and movie industry, in promoting and celebrating violent conflict resolution. Rap music today is judged not by the industry on any kind of culturally artistic intellectual achievement but rather is based on sales which are equated to popularity and no one drives violent ographic rap sales more than white people who also profit the most from its dissemination through various labels. If Black Lives Matter is a principle white people agree on, then why don’t they stop purchasing music that equates Black people with n-words whose lives don’t matter in the lyrical content. Sure the recording artists bear some responsibility but the lion’s share of the fault rests with the captains of industry and the consumer base. Kwabena Rasulit of Clear Air Waves Project joined BTR News podcast to share his thoughts on the culpability of the RIAA in the gun violence that plays o