Final Independent Study:

“Charlene: So what is it that you do? Marcus: I'm a gangsta.”[1]

‘Are young black males excessively stereotyped as gangsters, with a reference to ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’[2] 2005?

In recent years, the film industry has been excessively portraying black males as gangsters due to the changes that are occurring within the society. It is a convention that has been commonly used in movies but powerfully illustrated in the movie 50Cent ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Marcus (starred by a globally successful rapper 50Cent), who is associating himself as a gangster as well as many other black youths represented in this way. This convention has also been popular in other countries than the USA such as: in the UK’s ‘Bullet Boy’[3] where Ricky (Ashley Walters who also stars in Get Rich or Die Tryin) is portrayed as a gangster in both movies. This therefore seems to support the view that black males are being commonly represented as gangsters.
This particular movie can be seen as a typical ‘Gangster’ genre as it follows the conventions which are ‘According to Hollywood, the gangster film could combine realism and popular culture because it has been very popular throughout the years and more films has been made following this type of genre’[4]. In addition to the Gangster genre, this movie also has a ‘hybrid’ genre as it contains different genres which will therefore appeal to a wider audience. It also follows realism in the way that it includes the ‘Biopic’[5] genre as one of its main genre as it focuses on the real life of 50Cent and showing the audiences how much he suffered in his life so he could at the end become rich and mainly showing how in this society being a black male is really hard to succeed and as he didn’t have any other choice to help him succeed he became a gangster which at the end helped him, but after a lot of suffering. 50Cent suffering is mainly emphasised by the scene where he gets shot nine times and this is considered as one of the main genre’s conventions ‘law, order, crime, but unlike other crime and police genre, it focuses upon the figure of the gangster’[6]. So by showing 50 Cent getting shot will therefore appeal a lot to audiences mainly black youths which will make them become aware of what might happen to them if they become gangsters as it has happened to 50Cent.

There are various reasons that are making these black males turn into gangsters such as poverty and racism. Poverty which is considered as the main problem for these youngsters, this poverty that they are facing is therefore leading them to get involved into drugs, crimes and robbery in order to get rich, but at the end they face problems. These things can be seen as a revenge on the society by these males as they are not treated as ‘Those groups with most power’[7]. This convention has been used in this movie where 50Cent and his crew have been involved in a robbery of a bank in order to get money and when they are seen taking drugs. These things that they are involved in are causing them to get into trouble and face prison; this has been caused to many black gangsters before and this can be seen as one of the conventions of the gangster genre, as they actually face these things in real lives. This is supported by 50Cent that has faced prison because of committing a crime or a robbery and Ricky in ‘Bullet Boy’ for carrying a gun.
This subject of black males facing prison therefore leads to the issue that most rappers are from a black ethnic background and have faced prison before such as 50Cent, 2Pac, but after that trouble they seem to get punished when 50Cent gets shot and 2Pac gets killed.
‘Rap music from the start was designed to stop the violence and to keep peace among youthful gang members’[8], by getting into the Rap industry, their voices would be heard in the society and will make them become successful in their lives as they all tend to become globally successful rappers, nevertheless after facing a lot of problems in their lives. This global representation is shown by most black Rappers, and through TV programmes such as the ‘X.factor’ Leona Lewis as well as famous footballers such as: Thiery Henry and Ronaldinho.
Poverty is problem which is considered as one of the main causes of this gangster generation. This is shown by many scenes in the movie which are used to create a great emphasise on the issue of poverty and how it seen as a big problem. It is shown in 50Cent when he was a teenager and wanted to buy trainers but wasn’t able to get it as he didn’t have enough money, neither could his mum as she was only working to be able to feed her family. However later on, 50Cent produced a video clip called ‘Window Shopper’[9], which includes shots from the movie and flashbacks from his childhood where he was just starring at the shop’s window unable to get what he wanted, later on it is reflected by the scene where he is shown as rich with a posh car next to the window shop and showing that now he is able to afford it.
These shots of him being poor and him being able to afford the pair of trainers are used to show how much he suffered to be able to become successful and popular, this convention that he used in the video has a message to convey which is reinforcing the ‘Black Identity’ and that black people should be more respected in the society as they are able to succeed.

These struggles that black males have been facing for many years, has thus led them to revenge and stand up against the society which is rejecting them, by creating the so called ‘Black Power’[10] and ‘Civil Right Movements’ which have ‘transformed the economic value of racial identity for African Americans and other Black people around the world, also helped other nascent identity movements among other ethnic minorities.’[11] So this seems to show again how black people are successful and how they have been successful in creating this ‘Black Power’ which has also helped other ethnic minorities to succeed and to have their voices passed on to the society which were also facing similar problems that the Black community was facing, but more over to be able to show that black people have also the right to dominate the society.

These movements were also established in order to stop Colonialism that these ethnic minorities were facing. Colonialism which can be seen as one of the main problems that has caused these Black people to become denied or under represented in the society, as those in power used these Black people as slaves which made them look unreliable or uncivilised to the society. Hence this is related to Homi Bhaba’s theory of ‘the Other’ which can be seen as an excuse that the white people used to colonise the non-civilised countries, which will make them become reliable and civilised. ‘These movements joined, in an informal way, to generate a common political mood of victimization, moral indignation, and a self-righteous hostility against a common enemy- the White male.’[12] .

This particular gangster genre has been first laid out during the 30’s; earlier films made under this genre such as ‘Little Caesar’[13] (1931), ‘Public Enemy’ [14](1931) and ‘Scarface’[15](1932) are still used as one of the common examples of this particular genre as they include characters of ‘particularly bank robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and violently murdering their way through life’[16] which are seen as the main conventions of this genre and most movies that follow this genre include those typical conventions.
These earlier gangster movies had white actors starring as gangsters, however in the recent films such as ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and ‘Bullet Boy’ which only include black characters starring as gangsters. These earlier years might therefore show that gangsters weren’t created by black people; however they were created by white people which were called the ‘Mafia’ which might have created this genre.
‘The God Father’ [17] (1972) known as the ‘Number One Gangster movie ever made’ shows how this movie mainly focused on the white Italian ‘Mafia’ and which therefore shows that this Gangster genre was created by white people. Michael who just came back from the Second World War finds his father involved in drugs and crimes. Michael’s father is the boss or the ‘DON’ of this Italian mafia who is enforcing him to do it ‘for the sake of his family’[18]. This is hence is showing that there is always a reason for becoming a gangster and even though Michael didn’t face problems as 50Cent or Ricky (starring Ashley Walters) faced.
‘Each era has it own system of genre’[19] ‘they are named and placed within hierarchies or systems of genres’[20], ‘each is defined by reference to the system and its members’[21] this could have happened due to the Zeitgeist. This Zeitgeist has occurred due to the changes in the society which has therefore led to the creation of problems in the society for black males, such as: racism, poverty, gun crimes. For that reason, this typical genre is mainly associated with black people.
This therefore makes these black males find that becoming gangsters would be the appropriate solution for them as they would be able to revolt against these problems, which would therefore help them become dominant people in this society. This again relates to the fact that most rappers are from a black ethnic background as it will help them to fight and have their voices passed on the society and emphasizing on the fact of how hard it is to be a black person in the society, and that if you are not successful and meet the level of the ‘white people’, you will hardly be able to survive which is supported by the title ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

The aim of most movies is to entertain their audience, but in addition to that this movie tends to inform its audiences which are mainly young black male audiences over the age of 15 which is the age certificate for most gangster movies. These movies tend to warn their target audience about what problems they could be facing in the society as they are from a black background on daily basis situations like ‘who’s going to discriminate against me today? What job am I not going to get?’[22] As well as what problems will occur if they get into gangs such as: facing prison, getting punished, etc. On the other hand this movie might also be telling its audiences to fight against the white ruling class by getting involved into these gangs, which again emphasizes on the ‘Black Power’ in order to create equality between the white and black social classes ‘because life isn’t like that for people’[23].
Unlike other movies produced in different genres, this particular genre ‘is one governed by the morality of the wider society. This means the film shows the gangster’s fate to condemn him and warn others away from a life of crime’[24]. So this shows that this particular genre is there to try to improve the lives of the newer black generation and protect them from the entire dilemma they could be facing. The use of 50Cent and Ashley Walters who are representing these issues in their movies, they would have a greater influence on their target audiences. 50 Cent is shown doing this when he is holding his baby son tightly which indicates that he is protecting him and doesn’t want him to face the similar problem that his father faced. As well as Ricky in ‘Bullet Boy’ where he tries and even risks his life, in order to protect his brother and prevent him from getting into trouble.
Stereotyping social groups is categorising them with few characteristics, these stereotypes are not always true, but we tend to believe them even if "There is something radically wrong with the way black immigrants - West Indians, Asians, and Africans are handled by and presented on the mass media"[25]. These stereotypes that we believe have been reinforced by the media which represents these black ethnic minorities as trouble makers and gangsters which is supported by the news mainly when a murder occurs it is most of the times blamed on black youngsters and this therefore makes us think that black people are dangerous and that we should be aware of them. This is therefore promoting its ‘hegemonic’ ideology on us, as the theorist Herbert Marcuse mentioned that the media tries to ‘indoctrinate and manipulate us’[26].
This ‘hegemony refers to create to the winning of popular consent through everyday cultural life, including media representations of the world’[27]. These so called false representations are used by the media to try and win our ideas and our beliefs by making us think the way it wanted. This has been shown is ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’, ‘Bullet Boy’, ‘Boyz n the Hood’ [28] (1991) and ‘Kidulthood’[29] (2006) where there is only a use of gangsters which are from a black background. This representation is happening due to the problems that these black males are facing in the society and they are being under-represented and being ruled by the white ruling classes and the ghetto that they are living in. So by making these gangs, they could be able to prevent these problems, which will therefore make them become more powerful and dominant in order to have their voices passed in the society.
These stereotypes are making us have a negative image of these black males, so this is making us think as passive audiences as we tend to forget about the problems that these youths are facing which is therefore leading to get involved in crimes, drugs, robbing etc. This might be occurring because of the lack of the father which is shown in most of Gangster movies, which most black children lack. This lack of parents is therefore affecting these kids as they are not having a nuclear family and no one to support them or aid them with their problems. This is shown in 50 cent when he doesn’t know his father and his mother is working away in order to feed her family, however he is much more affected and starts getting into this Gangster business when his mother gets killed which makes him wanting to get revenge. In parallel this is also shown in ‘Bullet Boy’ where there is a lack of father, even though there is a presence of the mother she is not able to understand clearly her son’s problems. However if there was the existence of the father in both movies, they would be able to understand their children more and give them advice about preventing the consequences they might face.
If the father existed these problems wouldn’t have existed which is therefore promoting a ‘Patriarchal’ ideology. The question to ask is ‘Where have all the Black men gone?’[30] This is seen as ‘a vivid snapshot of a very troubling reality in black America’[31] as black women have outnumbered black males by 30%, because males are working abroad or doing their military service, in cities like Chicago and New Orleans.
These problems that are happening to these black youths are therefore creating the so called ‘Youth Culture’ which has therefore led to the creation of these Gangsters, however us the audiences should act as ‘Active audiences’ and we shouldn’t believe what the media is injecting us, hence this is also known as the ‘Hypodermic Needle’ theory, We should firstly recognise the problems that are causing these boys to get involved in these things such as becoming gangsters.
‘The gangster film as we know it was a product of the growth of the Hollywood system’[32], this genre is now considered as one of the main genres of the Hollywood film industry. As this genre mainly focuses on the problems that are happening to these gangsters and how they could be solved, as well as having their voices being heard and therefore the Hollywood studio doesn’t create any restrictions on what is being produced, which is therefore emphasizing on the importance of this gangster genre on the Hollywood system even if ‘the ways in which the studios were organised to produce films can be seen as a determining factor on the final pattern or form of the individual’[33]. So these gangsters by getting involved into gangs they will get their voices passed on to the society.
‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ uses the typical gangster genre conventions which are therefore making it become a gangster movie, such as: the use of drugs, crimes and robbery. These things are committed by these Gangsters in order to get rich and have a superior role within the community. This might be therefore promoting the ‘Capitalist’ ideology, as poverty is being the main problem that these youths are facing and this is the reason that is leading to get involved in such things. This ‘Capitalism’ is only owned by the ‘White’ classes and this is making the black people to feel humiliated so in order to gain this capitalism they start robbing banks as they are not able to gain that money in a legal way because of the problems they are facing, where as white people are able to get jobs they want and things they desire. This is supported by the scene shown in the movie robbing a bank, when 50Cent said ‘Crack meant money, money meant power and power meant war’[34]. Overall this is saying that if you lack money in this society, you are less likely to be successful, which means that money is everything.
To conclude, ‘besieged by poverty, disease, violence and mass incarceration’[35] they are still represented as gangsters and as lower working classes and don’t really have a voice in the society. So by becoming gangsters and rappers they could revolt against the society and represent themselves as strong. This movie is treating and showing the issues of these black males and therefore is trying to show how black males are living and suffering. They are showing how they are ruled by ‘White Americans’ that they can unite and fight for their rights and become treated as normal people. This is the main reason that is causing them to become gangsters in order to have a more respectable place in the society and have their equal rights. As 50Cent said ‘Show no love. Love will get you killed’[36]. This is supported by the fact when his mother dies, he always wanted to get revenge and even when he got shot he still fought and wanted to get further in life and do well as 50Cent said ‘I don’t necessarily want to be seen as a Wall Street person but definitely as a businessperson’[37]. These are therefore the reasons causing them to be represented as gangsters and negatively in the media as ‘capitalist ownership of the media determines the role that the media plays in society’[38].
Word count: 3,208





































Bibliography

Books:
Hall, Stuart (1977): Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, 1997. London, New Delhi. Sage Publications
Joan Ferrante and Prince Brown (2000): Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity in the United States, (2nd Edition). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Micheal Banton (1987): Racial Theories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Neale Steve (1990): Genre and Hollywood. UK. Routledge
Oscar H. Gandy, Jr (1998): Communication and Race. New York: Arnold Publications.
Probert, David (2005): AS/A-Level Media Studies: Essential Word Dictionary (Philip Allan Updates).Leicester: Raithby, Lawrence & Co Ltd.
Sarita Malik (2002): Representing Black Britain, Black and Asian Images on Television. Sage Publications
Strinati, Dominic (2000): An Introduction to Studying Popular Culture. USA and Canada: Routledge
O’Sullivan Tim, Dutton Brian, Rayner Philip (2003): Studying the Media (Third Edition). London: Arnold Publications.


Films:
‘Boys n the Hood’ 1991, John Singleton, (USA)
‘Bullet Boy’ 2005, Saul Dibb, UK
‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ 2006, Jim Sheridan, (USA)
‘Kidulthood’ 2006, Menhaj Huda, (UK)
‘The God Father’ 1972, Francis Ford Coppola, (USA)
‘Window Shopper’ 2005, 50 Cent video clip (Get rich or Die Tryin’ Album), USA



Internet:
www.imdb.com
- I got information about the different films such as: directors, dates of release.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0430308/quotes
- I used some quotes from the actual movie.
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2162/
-I used some information about Black males and some statistics.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/plotsummary
-I used Quotes from the movie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/get_rich_or_die_tryin’_(film)
- General information about the movie.
http://www.filmsite.org/crimefilms.html
- I got some information about youth culture.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/youth-crime/
-Some information about ‘Youth Culture’
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4111/nogangs.html.
- Definitions and research about gangsters
http://www.hossli.com/articles/2007/09/02/50-cent-%e2%80%9ci%e2%80%99m-going-to-get-what-i-can-get%e2%80%9d/
-An interview with 50Cent- September 2007
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/182.html
-Some information about the rap industry and black males.










[1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430308/quotes
[2] ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2006), Jim Sheridan, (USA)

[3] Bullet Boy (2006): directed by: Saul Dibb. UK
[4] Dominic Strinati, An Introduction To Studying Popular Culture, 2000, P.55
[5] PROBERT, DAVID (2005): AS/A-Level Media Studies: Essential Word Dictionary (Philip Allan Updates).
[6] Ibid
[7] Tim O'Sullivan, Brian Dutton, Philip Rayner (2003):Studying The Media, 3rd Edition, p.69

[8] http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/182.html
[9] Window Shopper, 50 Cent, release date: 2005
[10] Winokur 1991, p. 10-11
[11] Joan Ferrante and Prince Brown (2000): Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity in the United States, (2nd Edition)


[12] Spencer, 1994, p.559
[13] Little Caesar 1931, Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy
[14] Public Enemy 1931, Directed by: William A. Wellman
[15] Scarface 1932, Directed by: Howard Hawks
[16] http://www.filmsite.org/crimefilms.html
[17] The God Father 1972, Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
[18] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/plotsummary
[19] Neale, Steve 1990. Genre and Hollywood
[20] Ibid
[21] Ibid
[22] Ryall 1979: p.32
[23] Phillips in pine 1922: p.147-8
[24] Dominic Strinati 2000, An Introduction to Studying Popular Culture: p.55
[25] Hall, Stuart. (1977). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, 1997.
[26] Marcuse, Hebert.
[27] Studying the Media, 3rd Edition, P.69
[28] Boys n the Hood, 1991, directed by: John Singleton, USA
[29] Kidulthood, 2006, Directed by: Menhaj Huda, UK
[30] http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2162/
[31] Ibid
[32] Dominic, Strinati (2000): An Introduction to Studying Popular Culture, p.57
[33] Ibid, P.57
[34] www.imdb.com/title/tt0430308/quotes
[35] http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2162/
[36] www.imdb.com/title/tt0430308/quotes
[37] http://www.hossli.com/articles/2007/09/02/50-cent-%e2%80%9ci%e2%80%99m-going-to-get-what-i-can-get%e2%80%9d/

[38] Graham Murdock and Peter Golding (1970’s)