Essay About Opening Scene And Gangster Lifestyle

Menace Society
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Since the early 1980s, there has always been incredible interest in the “gangster lifestyle.”
The gangster lifestyle” consists of money, drugs, guns, women, power, and respect. Many films
and music groups try to inform people about this lifestyle, however end up influencing teens in
dangerous and negative way of life. This lifestyle usually is most appealing to low income
African American youth in struggling neighborhoods. Based on the research I have done on this
case One of the most popular films that relates to these gangster (hood life ) lifestyle was the
movie called “Menace II Society”. The gangster lifestyle also known as “hood life “sends a
high racial messages about African Americans. The film takes place in South Central Los
Angeles. The opening scene consists of “Caine” and “O-Dog” entering a liquor store to buy malt
liquor. As they shop around, “Caine” opens up the bottle, that he intends to pay for, and begins to
drink.As “Caine” and “O-Dog” make their way to the cashier the teller then tells “O-Dog” that
he feels bad for his mother. After hearing the remark, “Caine” and “O-Dog” get into a heated
argument with the cashier, and result in shooting him, his wife, and steal the monitoring tape.
They then took money from the cash register and head home. The opening scene of this film sets
the mood for the rest of it. It is basically telling us that low income African American youth in
struggling areas have little or no tolerance for disrespect, use profane language, use and abuse
women, and have affiliation with drugs and alcohol.
Low income African American males have always been a main target of racism and fear in
the United States. They have always been looked down on by society, and expected to be the
cause of most crime