Stop Snitchin'

Rapper Cam'ron: Snitching Hurts His Business, "Code Of Ethics"

(CBS)  Those rules are making it much harder for the police to catch killers, according to Professor David Kennedy of The John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Kennedy works with communities and police departments all over the country. Nationwide, he says, police are able to arrest a suspect in about 60 percent of the homicide cases they investigate. That’s known as the "clearance rate."

But Kennedy says in some neighborhoods the rate is much, much lower. "I work in communities where the clearance rate for homicides has gone into single digits."

The unwillingness to come forward, Kennedy says, lies at the core of the problem.

"What does it say about what's happening in a community that if you come forward, you lose status in that community?" Cooper asks.

"In these neighborhoods, we are on the verge of, or maybe we already have lost, the rule of law," Kennedy says.

The snitchin' credo is not just a product of hip hop music, he says. Nor are people simply afraid to come forward. As Professor Kennedy sees it, and as Cam'ron portrays it in a movie, the root cause is a long-standing belief that law enforcement is the enemy.

Kennedy says that’s partly because of police tactics used to fight the war on drugs.

Asked if he trusts the police, Alex tells Cooper, "No."

Why not? "'Cause there's been numerous times I've been walking, just being a regular American citizen and getting stopped for no reason," Alex says.

"Is it possible that people aren't coming forward to talk to the police not because of what rappers are saying, but just because they don't trust the police?" Cooper asks New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

"Sure. There's always going to be an element that is not happy with what the police do," Kelly says. "But I think the difference here is the commercialization, if you will, of 'don't snitch.' The glorification of it."

"It's that sort of edgy, you know, kind of ghetto, everybody's kind of into it. It does package well, and it does sell well. And beneath, you know, beneath all of this stuff, there's huge corporate profits in the industries that feed off this," Canada says.

Many of the big-name rappers who rail against snitches are distributed on major record labels. Cam'ron is distributed through Asylum Records, a division of Warner Music.

When the rapper L'il Kim committed perjury rather than implicate members of her entourage in a shooting, Black Entertainment Television launched one of its most popular shows ever, chronicling her days before going to prison.

"Black Entertainment TV ran a reality series about her that was advertised with the tag line, 'She's going to prison with her mouth shut and her head held high,'" Professor Kennedy says. "This is a Joe Camel issue. This is big business selling death."

Black Entertainment Television has said its series on L’il Kim did not condone her crime, but rather took "a very serious look at her life and her choices…." As for Cam'ron's relationship with Warner Music, an executive there declined to comment.

"I dare any of those executives in the major companies to put one of those songs on in board meeting. I dare 'em. They'd never do it," Canada says. "You put on some song that has the n-word 50 times that talks about killing and murder, oh no. Board members don't want to hear that kind of stuff."

"I just think that rap takes way more slack than the video games and the movies. We don't make guns. Smith and Wesson makes guns," Cam'ron argues. "Like, white people make guns and bullets and all we're doing is rhyming and putting words together."

"If your record label said to you, 'Look, we're not going to promote you, we're not going to distribute you if you keep calling Curtis Jackson a snitch.' Or you keep, writing about guns and selling drugs, would you stop?" Cooper asks.

"No record company in the world would say 'We're not promoting if you keep calling somebody a snitch. They know what makes money," Cam'ron says. "A record company would never be that stupid. Ever."

---

After this story first aired in April, Cam'ron was widely criticized for saying he wouldn’t help the police catch a serial killer. Cam'ron later issued the following apology in response to his comments:

"In 2005, I was a victim of a violent crime. I was shot multiple times without provocation by two armed men who attempted to carjack my vehicle. Although I was a crime victim, I didn't feel like I could cooperate with the police investigation. Where I come from, once word gets out that you've cooperated with the police that only makes you a bigger target of criminal violence. That is a dark reality in so many neighborhoods like mine across America. I'm not saying its right, but its reality. And it's not unfounded. here's a harsh reality around violence and criminal justice in our inner cities."

"But my experience in no way justifies what I said. Looking back now, I can see how those comments could be viewed as offensive, especially to those who have suffered their own personal tragedies or to those who put their lives on the line to protect our citizens from crime. Please understand that I was expressing my own personal frustration at my own personal circumstances. I in no way was intending to be malicious or harmful. I apologize deeply for this error in judgment."

Statement of Asylum Records:

"We expect and encourage all of our artists to behave responsibly and lawfully and we were gratified that Mr. Giles apologized for his remarks. We applaud "60 Minutes" for shedding further light on these important and complex issues and believe that the resulting dialogue among artists, law enforcement, community leaders and the media industry has been and will continue to be a constructive one."

[richu5]

I guess the entire stop snitching theme doesn't matter to people in the hip-hop community or any community. When jail time is staring them in the face, let a singing begin. Look at Michael Vick's friends turning on him when confronted by the police. What a joke.
Rich

[peaceout9]

It surprises me Anderson Cooper would not mention the correlation of the African-American community to the Italian-American community nor the Hispanic-American community of the past century. One need only walk in most inner-city areas to see several huge T-shirts, tattoos and posters with images of %u201CScarface%u201D or %u201Cthe Godfather%u201D. Scarface is 23 years old! The Godfather is 35 years old! Yet it speaks volumes to those who feel lost and powerless.

The report seems to conclude that Stop Snitchin is strictly about street image and business. That may be so what about trusting the police and mindless consumerism? The response was overwhelmingly %u201Cno%u201D in trusting the police. The opening scene of the Godfather shows this brilliantly. %u201CThere were courts of law and you didn%u2019t need a friend like me. But you don%u2019t ask for friendship, you don%u2019t ask for respect. But now you say Don Corleone bring me justice. What have I done to have you treat me so disrespectfully?%u201D

So is %u201CStop Snitchin%u2019%u201D really just about image and business or is it more about who can you trust and consumerism gone awry?

Tony Montana %u201CDo you know what capitalism is? Getting f#*&^ed.%u201D

"The World is Yours". But what kind of world you you want?

[mourka-2009]

As Cam'ron said, "it's all business." I assume that is why Anderson Cooper did not ask him about his support by the New York Yankees. He was wearing the Yankees logo'd material in his video.
They would have to pay for that placement or sign a release for the usage. One would think that the Yankee organization would not support the anti-law enforcement message but they must be comfortable with this. Cam'ron must sell thousands of baseball caps for them.

[islandspice-2009]

Of all the intelligent hip hop artists, why interview Cam'ron, one of the most ignorant people out there? Who made him the voice of hip-hop? I'm glad he said that he was only speaking on behalf of himself. Other artists would give a totally different point of view when asked if they would report pedophiles, rapists, molesters, and serial killers.This is more an issue of fear and safety than street credibility. How can community backlash be overcome when there is no protection by the same police who want your cooperation? I should help your case, and then you throw me to the wolves? Witnesses, informants, snitches, whatever you call them are placed in danger when their personal information is leaked to the public. I know of instances where the police bring suspects to witnesses face to face and ask,"Is this the person you saw?" That would never motivate me to cooperate.When they can guarantee my safety then I'll help, until then I'll continue to call the anonymous tip line. This isn%u2019t a black or minority mentality. There are many persons of minority who cooperate with law enforcement and also many whites who don't. There are also whites who only get involved when the alleged criminal is a minority and minorities who only report whites.Until there is reform in law enforcement we will always have these problems. The rappers and community won%u2019t take all the blame. That's one thing we're willing to share with law enforcement.

[islandspice-2009]

Of all the intelligent hip hop artists, why interview Cam'ron, one of the most ignorant people out there? Who made him the voice of hip-hop? I'm glad he said that he was only speaking on behalf of himself. Other artists would give a totally different point of view when asked if they would report pedophiles, rapists, molesters, and serial killers.This is more an issue of fear and safety than street credibility. How can community backlash be overcome when there is no protection by the same police who want your cooperation? I should help your case, and then you throw me to the wolves? Witnesses, informants, snitches, whatever you call them are placed in danger when their personal information is leaked to the public. I know of instances where the police bring suspects to witnesses face to face and ask,"Is this the person you saw?" That would never motivate me to cooperate.When they can guarantee my safety then I'll help, until then I'll continue to call the anonymous tip line. This isn%u2019t a black or minority mentality. There are many persons of minority who cooperate with law enforcement and also many whites who don't. There are also whites who only get involved when the alleged criminal is a minority and minorities who only report whites.Until there is reform in law enforcement we will always have these problems. The rappers and community won%u2019t take all the blame. That's one thing we're willing to share with law enforcement.

[keithle1]

"And if someone does hurt or even kill someone in your family. You DON'T SNITCH. You handle it yourself"

Does this mean you go out & buy a gun & take the law into your own hands? That makes a lot of sense.

Another pearl of wisdom from bayyyboiii:

"Didn't your mom ever tell you, "DON'T BE A TATTLETALE"!! Well, that is exactly what snitchin is doing...TATTLETALING."

You know exactly what your mother was talking about. The stuff that brothers do to their sisters & vice versa. Somehow I don't think your mother was referring to murder & rape. Felonies.

[ramseur2]

What goes around comes around. In saying that I would like to add the injustice of a crime going unpunished due to lack of evidence or willing witness is like waiting for your turn to be murdered, maimed, or raped. By this I mean if a crimmnal can get away with a crime, then he is more than likely to commit another crime, and so on and so on .... Until it affects you personnally. On the other hand, are the police offering protection to the so called snitchers?

[painthard]

What this story was realy about was THE GROWING IGNORANCE OF OUR YOUTH IN REGARDS TO OPORTUNITIES PREVIDED BY A COMUNITY.Y?,you ask. Have you ever heard of a METAPHORE, it is very coman in literature.LITERATURE plays a part in lyrics, at least good ones. These lyrics nead a source and that is the neighborhood. RAPPERS ARE NOT KILLING ANYONE THEY ARE WRITING. So, as the youth and some adults, gets dumber due to lack of oportunities to grow people begin to take everything literaly. This is another example is there such thing as a real life Odiseos or Hary potter, no but they are symbols. PS. I'm a painter, so i find it insulting that you crucified (thats a metaphore)These peoples time writing. Thanks for your time if you gave it to me?

[saylaam]

This was an extremely dissappointing story considering that it came from 60 minutes. I cannot even express how crazy it is that Anderson Cooper and the segment producers left out the whole issue of FEAR. YES, FEAR! Are they that in the dark about how fear factors into all of this. Those kids that Cooper interviewed were trying to act cool by saying that "No snitching" was just a simple code of the streets. Or maybe someone who responded with the obvious assessment that if you live in the 'hood, you will be harmed for snitching. Did the 60 min producers need to watch THE WIre to get an idea of what happens to snitches? And that goes for any community affected by crime and crime lords. It's one thing to say that these rappers are fools but it's another to portray the inner city black community as wild animals simply b/c the producers failed to think this situation through and confront the obvious, non-sensational, truth of the matter. Fear keeps you quiet.

[bayyyboiii]

And if someone does hurt or even kill someone in your family. You DON'T SNITCH. You handle it yourself

[bayyyboiii]

For all you ignorant racist people out there...it is not only blacks, but every other race that follows this code. Didn't your mom ever tell you, "DON'T BE A TATTLETALE"!! Well, that is exactly what snitchin is doing...TATTLETALING. Snitch and see what happens to you

[keithle1]

Get out of these communities as soon as you can.
They're nothing but a negative influence. You're surrounded by stupid, ignorant people.

Black people are doing it to themselves.

Re something else someone brought up. No American black is going to Africa to live.
The worst poverty in the USA is nothing
compared to the poverty in Africa.

[howsay]

It would seem that Anderson Cooper would have asked the obvious questions when interviewing the family of 5 kids. First, What if someone killed your sister and you witnessed it, would you tell the police?, If NO, Then what if that person told you he was going to kill one of you every week, would you then go to the police. If, No then How many of your berothers and sisters are you willing to sacrifice for your so called honor code of No Snitchin? And finally If this was a white killer would you snitch? Anderson does not have the courage to ask that question.

[news2notice]

Gregory Scarpa,Jr., snitched on Ramzi Yousef in 1996. He photographed Yousef's drawings of how to make a bomb from a small amt of liquid that would go off in flight and blow the center fuel tank of a 747, with a camera the FBI gave him. Scarpa told the FBI of Yousef's planes-as-missiles plot, too. The FBI even set up a phony "mafia" company, where the FBI could patch through Yousef's calls to his people. Peter Lance shows all this in "Triple Cross. He also show Peter Fitzgerald' s document calling Scarpa's info a hoax, and asking that the info about the FBI setting up a holding company be redacted. Gregory Scarpa,Jr. got 40 years in Supermax prison. Is he still there?

[news2notice]

Gregory Scarpa,Jr., snitched on Ramzi Yousef in 1996. He photographed Yousef's drawings of how to make a bomb from a small amt of liquid that would go off in flight and blow the center fuel tank of a 747, with a camera the FBI gave him. Scarpa told the FBI of Yousef's planes-as-missiles plot, too. The FBI even set up a phony "mafia" company, where the FBI could patch through Yousef's calls to his people. Peter Lance shows all this in "Triple Cross. He also show Peter Fitzgerald' s document calling Scarpa's info a hoax, and asking that the info about the FBI setting up a holding company be redacted. Gregory Scarpa,Jr. got 40 years in Supermax prison. Is he still there?

[bluemule6]

"I am surprised and dissappointed that Anderson Cooper, would only interview Black rappers.
ALL GANGS HAVE THE SAME CODE" posted by karimah2

I never knew the black community as a whole was considered a gang. I guess you missed the interviews with the young kids or did you consider them gang members as well? Were the 25 blacks who witnessed the murder where none will talk all gang members? Wake up! This is not a gang issue it is a black issue. It is also asinine to think that some rap singers are responsible for robbing so many blacks of their moral and ethical sense to the point where they would FREELY CHOOSE to let murderers go free so as not to harm their oh so precious image amongst their peers.
This story simply drives home the most important behavioral difference between blacks and whites and that is the overall difference in moral and ethical behavior and it is this lack of morals that is responsible for keeping blacks as outsiders in their own country.

[mskat28]

As an African-American and an Educator it was sad to see how money hungry and how ignorant Cam'ron truly is. It is obvious that rappers like Cam'ron, the Game and Busta Rhymes do not care about Black people. Instead their focus is on the dollars because they know that ignorance sells. I know that some want to point the fingers at big business, but in order to sell a trend someone or group has to create a trend that is marketable-or else it would not sell. I asked my students how they viewed the comments and they also agreed that the "Stop Snitchin" phenomena is a definite belief. By telling kids not to try snitchin' at home(said by the Game who has children himself),would it be okay for Game's son to be molested or his sister to be raped? Where does the ignorance end? This is the same mentality that invited Black women and girls to be raped by White men-is that where we want to back track to? For you "Stop Snitchin" advocates,karma comes in many unlikely shapes and forms. Thanks Anderson Cooper-You are an intellectual cutie! My "Something New" radar is up!

[karimah2]

I am surprised and dissappointed that Anderson Cooper, would only interview Black rappers.
ALL GANGS HAVE THE SAME CODE.The CosaNostra/Mafia, Aryan Brotherhood, Kkk, Ms-13) a large Latino gang, and Asian gangs.
By pointing the finger at the Black rappers, etc,
you are making all neighborhoods vulnerable.

As the one guy, said, the owners of these music companies are making millions, and to them that is all what counts. ALL YOUNGSTERS ARE LISTENING!!!!AND LEARING, AND WILL COPY CAT WHAT THEY SEE AND HEAR.

[pawolf4]

If you start from 2 wrong premises, you usually get it wrong.
Police are not good, they are necessary.
Big business is not bad....in this case the end result would be identical if the recording companies made thousands instead of millions.
The AfrAm community feels that they have had no input or impact on the rules and laws of our society, and they don't accept them. They want to be different, and they are making up their own rules. This is no different from adolescent rebelling, except that it has grown into a coltural and racial entity that we will have to deal with in the decades to come.
There is no point in ridiculing it, pretending that they are wrong, and telling ourselves that this is incomprehensible.

[mokurai108]

I found this story very disturbing. The cities and thier agencies have let these americans down so often and so badly that thier refusal to be protected may very well provide a safe haven for pedophiles, rapists, thieves, murderers, and terrorists. These hard working law abiding citizens are going to suffer. I feel the cities and thier agencies had better make some good will jestures and make them quick, real, and stick to them. Because we all know who is going to suffer most. The innocent