Agallah claims Jordan Tower is a culture vulture and demands unreasonable payment from artists in order to get a video featured on his site. Could it be that this young but popular video aggregator has realized the best way to get paid is to sell placement? Or is this a shrewd marketing ploy by 8-Off to catch some free publicity for his upcoming album, Red Velvet?

Agallah appears calm and collective as he blasts Jordan Tower for over 5 minutes and does a great job at insinuating the entrepreneur is an extension of the white man’s pillage. He points out, and rightfully so, that you should never pay to get your content on a site like World Star, since you could so easily post it for free on youtube. And if it’s any good, urban video aggregators like WSHH and VladTv (which seems on it’s way to becoming SRCtv) or OnSmash should feel compelled to download the flash file and re-upload it illegally to their site anyway.

But you know, it almost makes sense to me ’cause I really did wonder why so much garbage gets posted on WSHH. But if any wakness monsta can pay for exposure, then there you go. It sounds sort of like a music video ponzi scheme. The more wak stuff you post, the more your site looks like it’s doing something which adds value and the more people want to get there stuff on your site. Is it really a coincidence that most of the comments I’ve read on there are people hatin’ on what they’re watching (to be fair, I can only claim to watching a handful of videos a month on there). Then again, it could also be like my beautiful wife says, I have terrible taste in music and most of it is good, but let’s not get into that, ’cause that’s just crazy talk.

Oh, and the point about people incriminating themselves with that smokeathon.com craziness. I don’t know much about the criminality of publicizing weed or smoking on camera but seriously, it doesn’t really help the moderation argument for legalization. My vote would be to fall back. But like most issues in this country, I have no vote.

How I wish Margot was my best friend. One of the first Serengeti songs that won me over. Featured on the Gasoline Rainbows album which was released in 2006 by MF Grimm’s Dad By Day Entertainment.

Off Abstract Rude’s release “Rejuvenation” on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

“Smoke it right” – Biggie @ 2:35

Read: U.S. to yield marijuana jurisdiction to states

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is sending strong signals that President Obama – who as a candidate said states should be allowed to make their own rules on medical marijuana – will end raids on pot dispensaries in California.

“I think it definitely signals that Obama is moving in a new direction, that it means what he said on the campaign trail that marijuana should be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue,” he said.

This past January, The National Gang Intelligence Center, in conjunction with The National Drug Intelligence Center (they go hand in hand like news media and downsizing, gangs and drugs that is) released their National Gang Threat Assessment for 2009. The assessment is basically a forward-looking intelligence report that summarizes some of the most recent and key statistics available to help law enforcement agencies that have stated goals of reducing gang-related criminal activities. These ‘centers’, by the way, are real deal holyfield government agencies (not basement-level pj non-profits). Which means you and I own them (not really, but really). From what I understand they are cross pollinated with different levels of crimebusters but mostly FBI agents.

They use data, collected from various federal, state and local authorities, to try and extrapolate helpful (to crime-fighters anyway) themes and trends. This report can be helpful to rap fans also. It’s relatively short, which we all know is a plus ’cause reading is not exactly bawse these days, and it holds a wealth of information on some of your favorite rappers’ make-believe associates. You should check it out. And even if you can’t think of a fake rapper persona (I find that hard to believe) that you want to learn more about, you should read it just in case the economic downturn finally hits you and you come to the realization that joining a gang is your only way to gaining financial independence gettin’ that paper (mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money). Like my old temp-recruiter used to say, try and gain familiarity with the organization before you jump in (or in this case, get jumped in).

Some of the main findings are:

-Approximately 1 million gang members belonging to more than 20,000 gangs were criminally active within all 50 states and the District of Columbia as of September 2008.

-Criminal gangs commit as much as 80 percent of the crime in many communities, according to law enforcement officials throughout the nation. Typical gang-related crimes include alien smuggling, armed robbery, assault, auto theft, drug trafficking, extortion, fraud, home invasions, identity theft, murder, and weapons trafficking.

-Gang members are the primary retail-level distributors of most illicit drugs. They also are increasingly dis-tributing wholesale-level quantities of marijuana and cocaine in most urban and suburban communities.

-Some gangs traffic illicit drugs at the regional and national levels; several are capable of competing with U.S.-based Mexican DTOs.

-Many gangs actively use the Internet to recruit new members and to communicate with members in other areas of the United States and in foreign countries.

So, why do I really share this with you? Hidden agenda of course. I’ve already stated how I’ve been stressin’ the potential for an uptick in crime. We don’t want it to get like Mexico around here. And although we can’t exactly say for sure what will happen in the upcoming months and years, this report highlights some of the trends that are already obvious and effed up for many communities. It’s basically just a heads up. Gangs on the rise, you betta recognize. And they continue to “earn the profits essential to maintaining their criminal operations and the lifestyles of their members primarily through drug distribution”. If we take these stats at face value, the policies that comprise this country’s drug prohibition program are fair game for criticism. Why after all these years do prisons continue to swell and gangs grow? Granted, we can’t exactly take everything this report offers without some sense of skepticism. The information is provided by many of the Elliot Ness-types that rely on just-say-no budgetary allotments for their continued existence in the first place. But still. Raise your hand yo! Ask some questions. Go to Obama’s youtube page and drop some comments. Write some raps (unless you suck).

Read: National Gang Threat Assessment 2009

Gangs pose a serious threat to public safety in many communities throughout the United States. Gang members are increasingly migrating from urban to suburban areas and are responsible for a growing per-centage of crime and violence in many communities. Much gang-related criminal activity involves drug trafficking; however, gang members are increasingly engaging in alien and weapons trafficking. Additionally, a rising number of U.S.-based gangs are seemingly intent on developing working relationships with U.S.- and foreign-based drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and other criminal organizations to gain direct access to foreign sources of illicit drugs.

The audacity of dope.

A lot of the, as Erick Sermon would say, “bourgie mufuckas” I hang out with, myself included, have been holding discussions lately about a resurgence in crime in the N-Y-C as a result of the recent change in economic conditions (read: Madoff f*ckery). It’s not like there is no criminal activity occurring currently in our fine boroughs (see: NYPOST’s NY Crime semi-blog if you have doubts), it’s just that most of us our old enough to think back to a time when it seemed worse.

A lot worse.

Granted, it’s funny to wax nostalgic every now and again about that one time you got snuffed, got your chain snatched and then had to give the dude that robbed you a bike ride to the bus stop so he could catch the N6 Qu-to-LI or some shit to meet his crew at Jones Beach (that did happen at least once to everybody, right?). But yo, I think for the most part, people don’t want a return to those “run yo shit” days. Right? Especially now that some of us are grown with kids, trying to be fathers and CEOs and what not.

The video clip above is from a documentary called Doin’ Time In Times Square, directed by Mr. Wild Style, Charlie Ahearn (peace to Supergoon). The footage presents a brawl and subsequent wallet snatch. Don’t know about the circumstances or if the man that got splayed deserved it or not, although from the looks of it he did try to sucker punch someone from behind. That’s beside the point though. Is this what I hear a lot of y’all say you miss? That just don’t make sense to me though. This idea reminds me of a lyric from an artist I hold in great esteem:

“…paint a portrait of the ghetto, so sweet, make y’all suburban kids think, I’m one fortunate fellow…”

Whether or not you miss “it”, some economists seem to think we need to brace ourselves. Ok, ok. I’m pretty sure I get that most of y’all don’t really miss crime per se, but maybe you just miss a less corporate and teenie bopperish Times Square. Ok fine, go chill downtown or something then. Or maybe Williamsburg or even Cobble Hill. I don’t know. Just stop saying “ah, man, I really wish it would go back to the way it was”. Cause the way it was, was kinda f*cked up. Plus, have you been to Times Square past midnight, that ish can still get kind of gully.

In any case, it has been theorized that the decrease in crime over the past decade or so had less to do with Giuliani & Bloomberg and their magnificent police force and more to do with shifts in demographics and all around economic prosperity. Could it be? In a separate article, Police Commissioner R. Kelly makes it clear he likes his job, I mean, he disagrees:

For his part, the New York police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, said he did not subscribe to the idea that there was a strong connection between a city’s financial fortunes and its safety. He said he and his top commanders had had informal talks about the current economic conditions and what they might mean for crime, but had set no specific policy changes in motion that are related to economic circumstances.

I’m still reading different opinions on the matter but I have to admit I tend to agree that poor economic conditions can have a greater overall impact on criminal activity rising than policing programs can have on it decreasing. Not to mention that I think there are much more effective deterrents to crime than more uniformed young bucks packin’ heat. But let’s not get into that right now.

Continue reading the NYTimes article: Keeping Wary Eye on Crime as Economy Sinks

On a slightly different note, there was a study recently published, headed by James Alan Fox of Northeastern University, that suggested murders amongst black youths were on the rise (nationwide, mind you, not NYC specific). The study has received a lot of press, even on hip-hop sites. But I guess that’s no surprise as it makes for a very clickable headline (I was actually more surprised that no one embedded this gp wu video. C’mon, don’t let me down predictables!). But I noticed not too many sites have covered any opposing views. One I came across that deserves attention is from Freakonomics author, Steven Levitt. In his rebuttal he argues that Fox’s numbers are misleading since they cover 2000 going forward. If we were to look at a longer timeline, as presented by this chart, things look a lot different.

Not to mention that the percentages cited in Fox’s report don’t seem to account for “the change in the population of young black males over this time period.” Since there are more black youths in the population, some increase would be expected, no?

Mr. Levitt’s last point about crime control is excellent also so here it is: “I would argue that it is time to experiment with something more radical that would actually save the government an enormous amount of money: ending the war on drugs.” He ended with “more on that soon”. So shall I. More on this soon.

In this op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, discusses the negative consequences of the USA’s 75 year old program for drug prohibition. A timely article as December 5th was the anniversary of the ratification of the 21st amendment, which repealed the amendment that initiated alchohol prohibition. Not to mention that I saw the first half of Pineapple Express last night. And the fact that scientists recently discovered a 2,700 year old stash (pictured above) that was tested and proven to contain “potent psychoactive properties” which goes against the theory that ancient civilizations grew hemp solely for making rope and ponchos to sell at Urban Outfitters. You can also loosely tie this in with the press’ recent discovery that Barack Obama smokes fags. Because as we all know, smoking cigarettes is a gateway habit for smoking marijuana which in turn is a gateway drug that will inevitably lead to heroine and crack use and a morally vague and deterministic outlook on life. Therefore, as sound logic dictates, Obama’s inability to stay on the wagon means that he secretly supports the end of drug prohibition . . . or maybe not, but still. (photo credit: Journal of Experimental Botany)

Let’s End Drug Prohibition

When repeal came, it was not just with the support of those with a taste for alcohol, but also those who disliked and even hated it but could no longer ignore the dreadful consequences of a failed prohibition. They saw what most Americans still fail to see today: That a failed drug prohibition can cause greater harm than the drug it was intended to banish.