2023

My Role:

Cultural Analysis*

*Excerpts from my 42-page deck

A gamification of real violence

How could a low-budget music video centered on a 16-year-old rapper on house arrest at his grandma’s gain over 320,000,000 views?

I explored the phenomena of drill music, where videos can convey messages through obscured lyrics and symbolic references while serving as war reports that blend into pop culture.

My investigation revealed a social media system resembling a digital colosseum with real violence and fandom akin to Game of Thrones.

Since creating the research deck last year, the above video has gained another 40 million views

"As Marshall McLuhan argued, media (which by definition mediates) can lead to subtle, sometimes invisible structural changes in society's values, norms, and institutions."

—What Interfaces Mediate,
Ko et al. (2017-20)

THE POWER IN A NAME

When playing a video game, one seldom uses their real name.

Similarly, a 'player' has two names within this cultural operating system: a family name and a street name. Like a video game, this creates a disconnect from reality. "Sets" denote different factions like clan tags.

Rival gang members are collectively dehumanized, frequently referred to merely as "opps." Mentioning specific names on social media and in songs can affect real-world consequences.

A HIDDEN SYMBOLOGY

From left to right (above):

The crossed out 'III' logo in the title card denotes cracking treys

The scoreboard prop alludes to both a 'score', and Black Disciple (2-4) vs Gangster Disciple (6 pointed star) Nations

The upside-down 'LA' is to disrespect murdered rival, 'L'A Capone'

Released on Feb 4th (2-4) Black Disciple Day to further disrespect fallen BD members referenced in the song and video

"Music videos" can serve as war reports with clear and sometimes 'encrypted' allusions to real murders

AFFECTING
TOPOGRAPHY

'Block legends' become immortalized as neighborhoods are named after reputed fallen members. The 16-year-old rapper [mentioned top] references 'O'Block', named after Odee Perry, who was murdered at 20.

This gang map details nearly 1000 factions with area names inspired by fallen members

A VIRTUAL COLOSSEUM

Fans analyze music, social media, and police scanners to triangulate information about allyships, tensions, and murders. These details are accessible on both public and password-protected wiki pages.

This fascination and involvement has created instances where fans encourage performers and their affiliates to retaliate for fallen members.

An entertainment fandom site that hosts information on real gang affiliations and activity

WITH POP-CULUTRAL IMPLICATIONS

This dynamic can be nearly impossible to escape, affecting peers and families due to a multi-generational history as far back as the 1920s (where the term drill comes from). It transcends race and geography.

Social media often overlooks the complexities of history and nuance, inadvertently leading to the exacerbation and gamification of some of its most hateful and hurtful aspects often supported by many unknowingly.

From international music borrowing affiliated sounds and symbology to products and playlists unintentionally celebrating murdered children

CLOSING THOUGHTS

We think we can understand the world because we have been in it. But there are different worlds within our world. Our actions, even though well-intentioned, could have detrimental consequences.

To create a more equitable world and even begin to truly address wicked problems, we must strive to dig deeper than superficial understanding, lest we unintenionally make things worse.