“Don't do stuff just 'cause I did it” - Crime and Desistance in Finnish ‘Gangsta Rap’ Narratives

• In Event: Cultural Criminology 1: Youth Subcultures, Identities & Resistance

Abstract

‘Gangsta rap’ music often depicts stacks of cash, fast and shiny cars, an entourage of willing women, and loyal friends and servants - all occasionally set against the backdrop of defining oneself as a serious societal threat. In addition to these “usual suspects” of rap, at times the music also addresses deeply personal themes, such as being poor, complex relationships with absent fathers and the profound influence of loving mothers. These contrasting elements also resonate with Finnish ‘gangsta rap’, which similarly navigates themes of violence and street credibility, but also (broken) families, (non)belonging and social critique.

This presentation explores the possibilities of typical narratives in ‘gangsta rap’ for ethnographic criminological research. We approach rap as a medium through which artists and audiences alike construct and deconstruct masculine identities, define boundaries of belonging, and assert dominance - often through the display of 'street capital' or occasionally, also questioning it.

The perspectives in ‘gangsta rap’ thus serve as a compelling example of how language and narrative function as social acts that shape identities of the youth, influence their behaviour and demarcate social spaces. These narratives are not only accessible and resonant for listeners, but also provide valuable material for researchers seeking to understand the interplay between crime, art, identity and youth cultures. The study of these narratives is particularly important in contexts that aim to understand the causes and patterns of youth crime, as well as in developing strategies for supporting young people in disengaging from criminal behavior and finding alternative pathways to identity and belonging.

Author

• Erica Åberg, University of Turku