Over 100 people attended the BMC’s first anniversary debate ‘Black Music & Violence: scapegoat or influence?: debate at City University London on June 14. Panellists were: Chief Inspector Leroy Logan (Black Police Association chair), Lee Jasper (London Mayor’s policy director for equalities and policing), Tony Sewell (educationalist and journalist), Marc Wadsworth (journalist and community activist), Viv Ahmun (In-volve youth development director), Tee Max & Fusion (hip-hop consultancy) and Charlie Parker (FasFwd Records/57th Dynasty)
A Home Office statement to the BMC read in part: “The Government does not blame music for the rise in gun crime. We accept that there is a lot more to the problem, not least poverty and lack of opportunity. But music is influential. The glamorisation of violence and gun culture in a medium listened to mostly by young people could affect perception of how acceptable it is to carry guns among some of those who may be tempted to do so.” [www.blackmusiccongress.com]