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| Tuesday, May 01, 2001 |
| NYPD focuses more on the hiphop culture |
| With all the recent arrests involving Hip-Hop artists, the NYPD is now focusing their microscope on Hip-Hop culture. According to a MTV News story, NYPD's gang unit has begun watching nightclubs that Hip-Hop artists attend, labeling Hip-Hop a "culture of violence." In addition, officers are compiling information on artists who have been arrested and have a criminal record. "It would be ignorant for us to ignore the fact that there have been violent incidents where the only common denominator is the music industry," said police spokesperson Sgt. Brian Burke. "In an effort to ensure the safety of individuals in the music industry as well as other additional victims, we've initiated this effort." The reasoning for this new effort is the recent arrests of artists such as Lil' Cease, Jay-Z, Shyne and others. No arrests have been made under the new campaign, but the idea has already received criticism. Lawyer Murray Richman says that it's "racial profiling at its worst."
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