City Research Online

Abstract

This article sets out to (re-)introduce Black urban musical subcultures as valuable forms of creativity and public expression in an attempt to resist, criticize and expose their criminalization by the London Metropolitan Police. Focusing primarily on grime, a host of unfair and illegitimate practices adopted by the London Metropolitan Police will be discussed. This will demonstrate how the routine monitoring, surveillance and curtailment of Black people’s public identity (re)produces stereotypical associations of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups with violent, criminal and problematic behaviour. In order to challenge openly discriminatory attitudes towards Black urban cultural forms by the police, a counterargument which calls for their understanding as viable sources of positive and constructive public engagement will be offered.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© The Author(s) 2018. This article is published in Crime, Media, Culture by SAGE Publications. Reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses.
Publisher Keywords:	Cultural criminology, grime, policing, race and crime, youth subcultures
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races M Music and Books on Music > M Music
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs > Sociology & Criminology

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