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Recent news reports would have us all believing that hip-hop venues are subterranean enclaves of violence and other debauchery. But, do these reports paint an accurate picture of reality? Are hip-hop venues as dangerous as many would have us believe? Not so, say the experts. Despite popular belief, experts say that hip-hop clubs – and most other nighttime venues – are generally safe.
According to Jean Homza, manager of Washington DC’s 9:30 Club, it’s not the music played in the clubs that causes violence, but rather, less than ideal management of patrons. Homza says, “Every crowd has a potential to cause problems,” especially in venues where people are dancing and wanting “to be seen,” as opposed to wanting to see live performances. For that reason, Homza stresses that clubs must be managed properly: First and foremost, club owners must hire enough staff to handle large or rowdy crowds. Yet in order for security staff to be able to implement good management practices, they must receive proper training.
Robert Pomplun of Loss Control Services, a firm dedicated to keeping licensed premises safe, recommends that security staff be trained to control crowds in a non-aggressive, non-confrontational fashion, as tactics involving intimidation or physical force tend to incite potentially violent patrons. In addition, Pomplun asserts that training security staff to be on the lookout for suspicious persons or activity is an important deterrent for violence.
Beyond staff training, it is also necessary to perform a background check on security employees to determine if they have criminal records and further, to conduct a preliminary interview to ascertain whether they have the appropriate social skills to handle incidents with patrons; after all, errant employees – not just dicey patrons – have been known to cause problems in clubs, as well.
So, if club safety boils down to proper staffing and security, why is there such a profound fear of hip-hop venues as opposed to other types of venues? Alarmist news reports pelt us with doom-filled anti-hip-hop warnings, which are fueling the fear of hip-hop music and culture. The news media, by reporting the occasional hip-hop club skirmish as if it were a common, everyday occurrence, are embellishing upon reality. Violent incidents do occur at hip-hop venues, but they are quite rare. And, other types of clubs also suffer from occasional violent events, but they do not get the same media attention as hip-hop clubs do.
According to Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert trade for Pollstar magazine, “It’s very common to see news reports about violence at a [hip-hop] show when it really happened in a parking lot or at a doughnut shop six blocks away. But these people are still identified as concert-goers.” Essentially, any violent occurrence within a six-block vicinity of a hip-hop show may be associated with the show. As a result, the show – and the hip-hop music played at the show – are given a bad rap, so to speak.
Another significant factor contributing to hip-hop phobia is the generation gap between the Baby Boomers and today’s young adults. Homza likens today’s fear of hip-hop to the hullabaloo created by rock ‘n’ roll music during the 1950s: Elvis’s shaking hips and sly smile put the fear of God into Baby Boomers’ parents. Today, hip-hop is having a similar effect on Baby Boomers.
The fear of hip-hop stems in part from another source: Stereotyping. For instance, many expect that hip-hop fans are as bravado-filled and potentially violent as the most controversial of hip-hop artists. And though many are loath to admit this, hip-hop artists are often subtly stereotyped because of race: the vast majority of hip-hop artists are African-American males, and in our society, African-American males are still viewed with suspicion and fear. As a result, many who fear hip-hop fail to realize that most people go to hip-hop shows or hip-hop venues to dance, socialize, enjoy some music and basically have a good time. Although some hip-hop tracks may contain controversial (or downright offensive) lyrics, most club patrons are merely dancing to the beat – not planning a crime.
And that brings us to another source of hip-hop phobia: the belief that all hip-hop music has offensive lyrics. This belief is understandable, as many hip-hop songs contain offensive lyrics. Further, some of the most controversial rappers are the most visible due to their popularity and shock value. Such “gangsta-rap” artists produce music glorifying violence, misogyny and street life. To add insult to injury, a large percentage of rap videos are known for their scantily-clad models and cop-threatening rappers. This is not exactly an encouraging sight.
But, we must remember this: Although some hip-hop glorifies violence and other anti-social behaviors, much of it does not. Many modern, popular hip-hop artists, such as the Black Eyed Peas, Common, Nas and Kanye West, convey positive messages through their music. In addition, many old-school hip-hop artists, such as De La Soul, Run DMC, and PM Dawn have also lent their positive words to the hip-hop genre. But to reiterate Homza’s viewpoint, even hip-hop with violent themes cannot be blamed for nightclub violence.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned sources of hip-hop phobia have caused many people – including ardent hip-hop fans – to avoid hip-hop shows. Overreactions on the part of music promoters have further added to the environment of panic surrounding hip-hop venues and shows. “The perception of violence occurs at hip-hop [concerts],” says Tony Hicks, a Contra Costa Times music critic. Large police presence and alcohol bans add to this perception. Even worse, some large-scale venues require hip-hop shows to begin at bafflingly early times in order to prevent “inevitable” violence. For example, “Rock the Bells,” a rap concert featuring laid-back, socially-conscious rappers such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli, was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Considering the mellow nature of the “Rock the Bells” performers and the unlikelihood of violence, such measures appear to be a reaction to fears, not facts.
In essence, the fear and controversy surrounding hip-hop venues is understandable, but misplaced. Instead of worrying about a venue’s music selection, venue owners should concentrate on hiring ample, qualified security staff capable of employing proper management techniques in order to maintain the safety of their patrons and premises. If all music venues adopt these precautions, music venues – regardless of whether their playlists consist of Ella Fitzgerald’s classics or Jay-Z’s latest hits – should remain safe most of the time. |
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