The black and white conflict arising from the master and slave relationship is deep rooted both in Harlem and rap. There seems to be some commonality in the white knights duels and their chivalry, and the African American rapper’s reactive notoriety. Murder rap is the most violent form of rap and is said to be the sole cause of more than 1000 murders. The murder rap includes the words knife, stab, slash, stab, gun, shot, fire, kill and oft repeated nigga. An example of the murder rap is…

‘ Shoot em, Stab em, kill em,nigga,nigga,nigga,
knife em,slash em,fire,gun,nigga,nigga,nigga.’

The impact of these words on the listener can be well imagined. G.Dep,  the rapper who achieved fame under protection of the music mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs,  faced 15 years to life imprisonment for confessing to the murder he committed in 1993. Dep told police that he shot Hankel three times with .40 caliber gun in 1993. Hiis wife and mother cried after the verdict was read. Dep hugged his lawyer Anthony Ricco who said, ‘He has a conscience and a heart, and his conscience and his heart brought him to where he is today. He is probably making the most powerful statement a rapper of his era can make, which is to be accountable and to do the right thing.’

1. The Notorious Big

Christopher George Latore Wallace (better known onstage as The Notorious B.I.G.) was born in New York City, New York, on May 21, 1972 and died on March 9,1997 at the age of 24 in Los Angeles, California, US. In an interview on March 5, 1997 he said that he had hired security for fear of safety because of being a celebrity and not specifically because he was a rapper. On March 9, 1997 at about 12:30 a.m. he left for his hotel, with his associates in a 2 GMC Suburban. He was in the front passenger seat with his associate D-Roc while Gregory was driving. Combs traveled in another vehicle with three body guards. Bad Boy’s Director of Security was trailing behind them in a Chevrolet Blazer. By 12:45 a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up alongside Wallace’s truck.  An African American male in blue suit and bow tie, rolled down his window and drawing a 9mm blue-steel pistol shot and fired at the GMC Suburban. Four bullets hit Wallace in the chest and he was pronounced dead in the way to Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

2. Tupac Shakur

Tupac Amaru Shakur (also known as 2Pac Makaveli) was born in East Harlem, New York City on June 16, 1971 and died on September 13, 1996 at the age of 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was a well known rapper, writer, poet, record producer, and actor. His notable labels were Interscope, Death Row and Amaru. He had sold more than 75 million albums worldwide and was named 86th greatest artist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. His parents were members of the Black Panthers. He was involved in West Coast, East Coast rivalry. On September 7, 1996, he was shot four times in Las Vegas, Nevada and was taken to the University Medical Center where he expired after six days.

3. Blade Icewood

Darnell Quincy Lindsay better known as Blade Icewood was born on March 14, 1977 and lived until April 19, 2005. He was an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan and was considered among the most influential of Detroit underground rappers. On September 20, 2004, he was shot in his house with 7 rounds from an AK -47 assault rifle and he was left paralyzed. On April 19, 2005, while at a car wash, a gunman pulled alongside Icewood Range Rover and fired 17 rounds into the passenger’s side, killing him at the spot.

4. Fat Pat (Rapper)

Patrick Lamark Hawkins (commonly known by his stage name Fat Pat) was born in Houston, Texas on December 4, 1970. He died on February 3, 1998 at the age of 27 while going to visit a promoter in connection with the collection of an appearance fee. Fat Pat was fatally shot in Houston, Texas on February 3, 1998. He was shot in the corridor outside of the apartment belonging to the promoter- who was not home at the time of the incident.

5. Yaki Kadafi

Yafeu AkiyeleFula commonly known as Yaki Kadafi was born on October 9, 1977 and died on November 10, 1996. He was an American rapper and he co-founded a group that called themselves the Outlaws with 2pac Shakur. Their mothers were close friends therefore both of them were close childhood friends. He was found dead on the third floor of an apartment building on November10, 1996. He had been shot once in head. The Washington Times, reviewing 20 notable murdered rappers name him on the list of ‘Rappers Gunned Down.’

6. Mac Dre

Andre Louis Hicks; more known as Mac Dre was born in Oakland, California on July 5, 1970. He died on November 1, 2004. He was an American rapper and founder of Thizz Entertainment. He was famous in Bay Area in 1990s. After being sentenced for five years he insinuated that he felt the police had to sentence someone for being black and being a rapper. He expressed his feelings by stating…

‘Punk police are nothing clean
Look how they did Rodney King
In every neighborhood, state, city and town, a crooked policeman can be found. Off duty he neva would squab hard,
But give em that gat, badge and that squad car,
Then it’s Jack time, wit a black time.
I’m talkin real man, listen to Mac rhyme.’

While traveling as a passenger in a vehicle driving on a freeway in Kansas City, Missouri on November 1, 2004, a gunman shot at his vehicle, killing him on the spot.

7. Magnolia Shorty

Renetta Yemika Bridgewater (better known by her stage name Magnolia Shorty) was born on September 30, 1982 and died on December 20th, 2010. She was shot and killed in a car at Georgetown of New Orleans apartment complex. Police described it as a personal attack from a moving vehicle, without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. Bystanders are often shot instead of the real target in this type of shooting.

8. Freaky Tah

Raymond Rogers (better known by his stage name, Freaky Tah) was born in South Jamaica, New York, on May14, 1971. He died in Queens, New York US on March28, 1999 at the age of 27. His best known label is Universal Records. He was an MC Hype man and a member of The Lost Boys. While going towards the exit of Sheraton Hotel in Queens, New York, on the night of March 28, 1999 at the 28th birthday of his fellow Mr. Cheeks, he was shot in the back of his head. After being rushed to nearby Jamaica Hospital, he expired at 4:20 a.m. Kelvin Jones pleaded guilty to murder.

9. Jam Master Jay

Jason William Mizell (better known as Jam Master Jay) was born Brooklyn, New York on January 21, 1965 and died on October 30, 2002. He was an African- American rapper and ranked #10 on Spin’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Jam Master Jay was shot and killed in a Merrick Boulevard recording studio on October 30, 2002 at 7:30 P.M. Another person- Urieco Rincon was present in the room at the time of incidence, and was shot in the ankle but survived.

10. Stretch

Randy Walker commonly known as Stretch, was born on August 21, 1968 and died on November 30, 1995 at the age of 27. He was Rapper from Springfield, Queensland, New York. Along with his brother Majesty, he founded the hip hop group Live Squad. While he was driving at 112 th Ave and 209th street in Cambridge Heights on November 30,1995 three men pulled alongside his green minivan. He was shot  twice in the back. His minivan struck a tree and a car parked nearby. He died at the spot, exactly after one year of the killing of 2 Pac. His murder is considered a retaliatory murder.

Conclusion:

Main themes of rap includes violence, inner city hardships, racism, social problems and rivalry among rappers. The effect of music in respect of brain washing is undeniable. Listening to dark and violent rap, like murder rap and then to expect to remain uninfluenced is like diving deep and expecting to remain dry. Violence is often considered an essential part of rap which has its own logical sequence. Rap often culminates in murder. It is noteworthy that many of the rappers mentioned had disturbed childhoods, and most of them died untimely at an early age of their 20s on account of unnatural causes.