Opinion

As a group we concluded that the lyrics are not always listened to closely as the visual images are most striking. Once the lyrics are understood the message becomes clearer. Some found the posturing in rap/ hip-hop/ grime videos cliched and ridiculous. Some felt they were threatening and anti-social and encouraged similar behaviour. Ben Drew talks about growing up and a desire to fit in and use the some language as his peers and music becomes his focus as a creative outlet and a way of expressing himself and his views and angst. We discussed the riots and how decent young people acted as a mob and did things that they would never do individually and how they must now be horrified by their actions. This led to a discussion of the collective unconscious and Carl Jung's theories. Books like the 'Ox Bow Incident' set in America where a mob lynch a man and 'The Crucible' where peer group pressure leads to disaster. We discussed adolescent 'pack' behaviour where a desire to be part of something and to gain self worth in a twisted form as the tough guy or girl leads to unspeakable acts. The issue of 'girl gangs' was raised and the young woman in the video filming the beating seemed particularly resonant.

The message seemed to be that if services and places that are currently being cut by politicians are provide then anti-social behaviour can be curbed. A sense of alienation and a lack of self-worth will only foster resentment and an explosion of anger directed in no particular form as there is no framework. Ignorance can become endemic and the desire to destroy takes over if there is no outlet to be creative and have a voice. New media technologie and music are providing this outlet and Ben Drew was seen as a role modle for success and aspiration. We talked about how poverty can be cyclical and generational. On the whole we felt that the 'underclass' represented in this video and other texts like 'Shameless' still retains humanity and avoid cliche and stereotyping. The tragedy of the riots was the waste of energy and the message is that if this can be directed to provide a clear voice and a proper debate about the underlying issues then we can address them as a society. We came back to Margaret Thatcher's quote about there being.' no such thing as society'. However, we felt that there was a need for positive role models and as the trust in teachers and politicians fails then Ben Drew seemed to be someone who could speak to a generation of disaffected youth.

Ill Manors

Ben Drew alias Plan B is making headlines and stimulating debate on the blogosphere with his new video. The track, the video and the way it has been received by audiences makes for a fantastic case study in a number of ways, not least for representation of issues. The issue being representation of an underclass in the British Media. You could compare this to 'Shameless' and look at how newspapers represent young people from urban areas. Compare the films 'Harry Brown' and 'Ill Manors', both of which involve Ben Drew.

Watch the video for 'Ill Manors' first to make up your own mind. Create your own review before exploring how others read the text.

Try to decode the video using your toolkit for analysis

How does the video play with stereotypes ?

What do you think the message is ?

'Oi ! I said Oi ! what are you looking at you looking at you likkle rich boy !'

This is going to be a refrain of the summer to come. How is it a powerful cry and what is the intention of the artist ? Who are the targets of this ire ?

Is this the artist Ben Drew talking and does this reflect his views or is this a persona or an alter ego that will be developed in the forthcoming film ? Is the challenging content an advert for selling records and promoting the film. A cynic would suggest that this is a Warner Brothers production and therefore just another commodity which ironically will make the artist the likkle rich boy.

Ben Drew feels passionate about the issues he has raised suggesting that he is 'for real'. In an interview on Radio 1 Extra he explains where he is coming from and why he wrote the song. He explains that the riots made him sick and disgusted as they just reinforced prejudices of middle England as shown by the use of the emotive term, 'Chav.' He explains the need for the 'visceral' energy and imagery as he wants to raise the issue and then if anyone wants to talk about how to change it then the debate may help. He genuinely believes that his work has the power to change attitudes and hopes that something positive can come out of the album and the film he is bringing out.

During the riots he wrote in The Sun

'The kind of places these kids are attacking, they're like retail shops. Lidl? They broke into Lidl because they want to get some frozen food, some frozen pizza for free?

What did you break into Lidl for? And you are going to do time for it? It's stupid.

And you've got people like me who are trying to change the way middle England look at the underclass, have a bit more compassion for them — how can I stand up for that any more?

No one is going to have sympathy for these guys no more.'

This suggest that he writes about social alienation and wants to raise the level of debate. Rather than glorifying the behaviour of an underclass he is as frustrated by the mindless looting of consumer goods as the Sun's commentator Trevor Kavanagh. Targeting Gregg's the baker and nicking trainers is hardly a political statement. It just shows how tawdry the values of our society have become. Naked consumerism and greed which only harmed the communities the rioters came from, endangering lives and livelihoods.

This link shows Ben Drew explaining his views and intentions in an impassioned speech last week.

Dorian Lynskey called this 'the greatest British protest song in years.' This blog post is fascinating as the comment it creates is divided. Whatever you think of the video the thread after this post shows that the issues raised create strong feelings and allow for an interesting debate about British youth culture and the influence of popular music.

How does the video play with stereotypes ?

What do you think the message is ?

Different readings of the text are everywhere on the blogosphere. Josh Hall argues that the video has caught the imagination but the representations in Drew's work are problematic and Plan B is not your saviour.

The track is post-modern as it draws directly from existing texts. It is almost identical to 'Alles Neu' by the German artist Peter Fox who nicked the violins from a famous piece of classical music by Shostakovich. It has the energy of the Prodigy who have re-mixed the track. Does this detract from the originality of the work or is it a clever way of making contemporary music ?

Can pop music change the world ? The song has been compared to the Specials 'Ghost Town' which was written about the concrete jungle of Coventry and music by bands like the Clash. Is there a lack of social comment in mainstream music today and are songs like this an important platform for protest ?

This is you being represented. As Vincent Vega says in Pulp Fiction, ' you gotta have an opinion.'