Young children and adults, 14, 15 and 16 years of age, who listen and memorize these rap songs think that it is acceptable behavior. "Gangsta rap" is hardly the only source of violence, but it is a potent one. Not only is the music violent but the rappers lifestyle is also. Many rappers have rap sheets and young people see that and say, "Hey, their rich and money talks." Today most young people think that if a person is rich and famous they can get away with anything. Not all rappers have run-ins with the law, but the ones that do are very well known. .
Tupac Shakur, who recently was murdered this year, has had many run-ins with the law. Shakur was arrested for aggravated assault, charged with shooting two off duty police officers in Atlanta in 1993, but the charges were later dropped. He was accused of beating a limousine driver in Los Angeles and found guilty of threatening a fellow rapper with a baseball bat in Michigan. He was also found guilty of sexual abuse in 1994 and was serving time up to 4 ½ years in prison (Sims E3). In some raps he glamorized the life of a gangster and fun gunplay. He lived the life tattooed on his stomach, "Thug Life," and died doing it. "Gangsta Rap" has attracted a high profile of enemies and no one may ever know who really killed Tupac. The police are still not sure of who shot and killed Tupac, but they think that it may have been linked to Death Row Record's ties with rival gangs. There are no witnesses who can identify the driver or shooter in the Cadillac that pulled up next to Tupac and driver, Marion Knight. Calvin Broadus, better known as Snoop Doggy Dogg, was arrested in 1993 on murder-conspiracy charges. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted. He also has a police file that Hawkins 3 identifies him as a member of Long Beach .
Insane Crips, a notorious street gang (Cheevers A1). He was also a drug dealer and user. His music also glorifies violence and demeans women.
