'He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword' Despite a few tragic occurances of innocent people dying as a result of the gun/gangster culture emerging in our inner cities, the shootings are contained between rival gangs.
You can't blame the government, their parents or society as a whole. This gun culture is a direct result of the influences of the gangster rap nonsense that is pumped into our tv sets and record stores 24/7
25 years ago black american youth culture had a positive effect on our inner cities via the medium of hip hop. Youths expressed themselves via breakdance and graffiti. They were more concerned with who was the best breakdancer or artist. IMO the graffiti brightened up the drab, sooty walls of railway embankments and uninspiring concrete walls of tower blocks, it gave a sense of life and culture. The bright, colourful and artisitic 'pieces' were hardly akin to some sexual profanities or 'Leeds rule ok' that were the backdrop to the 70s.
Nowadays its 'who's got the most power, most guns, most money' This is the message that hip hop is delivering to the kids on the street, they gain their influences from the people they think they can relate to; Rappers and gangsters. Ever since Public Enemy and NWA, its taken a nasty turn for the worse.
I dont beleive that there is pressure for black kids to live this lifestyle. They have access to a free education and a chance to better themselves, they decide whether to build or destroy. They are not a minority in their schools and communites, they are not disenfranchised or picked on, they want in to a life of guns and crimes because it appears to be 'cool'. They give up before they've even started.