9/2/2023 0 Comments Whats rico chargeThe other thing that makes these hip-hop arrests unique is that a lot of times, the lyrics and the music videos that they make are used as part of the indictment. But because of their celebrity, and sometimes the belief that they're bankrolling the whole operation, they are often painted as the proverbial kingpins. RICO, when it's applied to rap stars, a lot of times the rappers are not the ones accused of the most egregious crimes. In our reporting for that season, we talked to this gang expert and academic, Babe Howell, and she really broke down for us this difference between gangs in the more organized sense and just neighborhood crews that are way more unorganized and typically driven by juveniles - by young folk who grew up around each other and who, she says, studies show are really more likely to grow out of that youthful criminal phase, unless they get caught up in the system. It's one that we really asked and puzzled over a lot in season one of Louder Than A Riot. I guess what I'm asking is, what does it mean to be a gang?Ĭarmichael: That's a good question. But that seems a bit different than the mob, where there was a very strict hierarchy and structure. These are my friends, these are my brothers. When you're casting a big net like that, the complication to me would seem to be this idea of - I grew up with these people. Louder Than A Riot My Brother's Keeper: Bobby Shmurda (Pt 3) Everyone is being roped in and classified as a gang member. When prosecutors apply RICO to rap, it's not just the rappers getting caught up in the system, but it's their whole crew and their whole entourage. Sidney Madden: RICO is most commonly used as a tactic to sweep up entire street gangs, and the definition of a street gang gets real spongy when you look at it in Black communities. But now we're seeing it applied to rap crews or what the police are calling gangs. But these RICO laws were designed to target organized crime - the mob, people like John Gotti, these very institutionalized organizations. Obviously Black people in America are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Just like walking while Black was likely to get you stopped and frisked in New York in the early 2000s, rapping while Black would definitely land you in the surveillance lineup of the NYPD's hip-hop dossier back then. That means nine times out of 10, they're coming from communities that are historically over policed. Rodney Carmichael: The truth is rappers - at least in this country - are predominantly Black. Listen to the audio version above.Īyesha Rascoe, Weekend Edition : Can you talk about the connections between the criminal justice system and rappers? Rappers getting caught up in doing time is not uncommon, right? This interview has been edited for length and clarity. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe spoke with NPR Music podcast Louder Than A Riot co-hosts Sidney Madden and Rodney Carmichael about how the definition of "gang" is being applied to rap crews. But these latest charges and arrest fit within a larger web of how the criminal justice system is using RICO to prosecute hip-hop artists. The indictment names "Young Slime Life," Young Thug's rap collective, as a street gang, and the rapper as its founder. Last week, the Fulton County District Attorney in Atlanta charged rappers Young Thug and Gunna with an indictment of more than 80 pages for allegedly participating in street gang activities and violating RICO law - that's short for "Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization" - a law that was originally designed to fight organized crime like the mafia. Last week, the Fulton County District Attorney in Atlanta charged rapper Young Thug (pictured) with an indictment for allegedly participating in street gang activities and violating RICO law.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |