Some kids just can't beat the rap
Glenda Luymes, The Province
Published: Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Their personal web pages pay homage to their heroes.

Beneath photos of themselves, the teens display violent rap lyrics and pictures of hip-hop stars.

"All Eyez On Me," reads the personal web page of an 18-year-old identified by Vancouver police as a member of the East Van Soldiers youth gang.

The words are a reference to an influential Tupac album that glorifies the thug lifestyle.

Like the album cover photo of the late rapper, the Vancouver teen has his fingers contorted in a gang symbol, forming an 'E' and a 'V' in his own photo.

The web pages of other EVS members display similar references to gun-toting, cop-killing, dope-dealing rap stars.

These musicians have become role models for many youth, with the gangster-rap genre spawning clothing lines, video games and movies.

Together it raises the question: What influence does gangster culture have on kids?

Expert opinion remains divided.

Heera Sidhu, co-owner of Ephin Apparel in Surrey, believes listening to gangster-glorifying rap music is a far cry from becoming a gang member.

"It's always up to the individual," he says. "Joining a gang isn't as simple as wearing loose-fitting clothing."

Sidhu says some teens are influenced by gangster culture, but says it's only one of many influences.

"Music can only be a little part of it. A lot more of it is personality," he says.

Sidhu and his business partner, Ryan Wiese, hope to give youth an opportunity to channel their energy into something "positive and productive," by encouraging them to design logos for their clothing line or use their recording studio to make music.

Simon Fraser University criminology professor Dr. Ray Corrado agrees many rap songs and music videos contain "a language of incredible violence," but says it's difficult to draw a direct link to youth violence.

"There's been a dramatic increase in violence in media where it is glorified and sensationalized. What we think is that for the one or two per cent of youth already predisposed to violence, it can be the tipping point," Corrado says.

The Canadian Paediatric Society tackles the issue by advising parents to monitor their children's media use. The society cites research showing a link between watching violent television and an increase in violent behaviour.

"More than 1,000 studies confirm that exposure to heavy doses of television violence increases aggressive behaviour, particularly in boys," reads a CPS report.

Pediatrician and University of Calgary professor Dr. Peter Nieman says children are especially vulnerable when their parents are not involved in their lives.

"There is evidence that imitation and emulation can lead to the real thing, but it seems like emulating a gangster is less dangerous than the glorification of violence that goes along with it," Nieman says.

TUNING IN

- The average Canadian child watches nearly 14 hours of television each week.

- The average child sees 12,000 violent acts on television each year, including many depictions of murder and rape.

- Sixty-four per cent of video games rated suitable for all audiences contain intentional violence and 60 per cent reward players for injuring a character

-- Source: Canadian Paediatric Society

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