Horrorcore, Murder, and Warning Signs: Is Music Truly to Blame?
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Artist:
About three weeks ago, Pastor Mark Niederbrock, his daughter Emma, ex-wife Debra Kelley, and family friend Melanie Wells were found murdered in West Viriginia. The suspect in the case is a 20-year-old aspiring horrorcore rapper named Richard "Syko Sam" McCroskey, whose music you can sample above. Yesterday, reports on these horrifics murders revealed both new information on the case and a familiar way of placing blame: is it the music?
For those unfamiliar with the term, "horrorcore" is a genre of rap first popularized by acts like the Insane Clown Posse and Ganksta N-I-P. Horrorcore normally employs elements of death metal, imagery often associated with horror movies, and some elements of rap music. Given that it often describes murder, rape and Satan worship, it's pretty understandable why the blame might be placed on Syko Sam's musical aspirations. While the horrorcore has often been the source of ridicule -- most recently in the hilarious Internet meme known as the Gathering of the Juggalos informercial -- things just took a very dark, serious turn.
Of course, this isn't the first time that death metal and horrorcore have been placed center stage after a horrific act is committed. Think back to the Columbine shootings of 1999: the music of Marilyn Manson was blamed by the media just as much as negligible parenting, as if the music was singlehandedly brainwashing the killers into doing what they did. On a similar note, Seung-Hui Cho, the student responsible for the Virginia Tech massacre, wrote fairly disturbing fiction that resembled dark movies like Oldboy. After the massacre, many claimed that Cho's fiction was the biggest warning sign of what was to come, as if his outside behavior gave no indication.
While the argument of separating artist from art seems like a logical one to make -- that music's content is different from the musician -- things get a little more complicated given the genre that we're dealing with. Horror movies have always been about escapism, usually over-the-top and gory, depicting an alternate reality where a wide variety of disturbing acts are commonplace, and the world in general is about eight shades darker than anything we're accustomed to. Though we might think it's insane, there are entire subcultures of almost always innocuous people making horrorcore music or filming Saw rip-offs with a digital camera and a few vials of fake blood. In this case, it can't just be the imagery, but something deeper, some recognizable core of the person in question's personality.
Is the exception becoming the rule? Certainly not. Stephen King spends most of his free time rooting for the Boston Red Sox, not plotting murder. Sometimes, truly insane people get caught up in truly insane music. It's unfair to say that Syko Sam's songs were blueprints for the murder. Were they outlets for his anger and frustration? Of course. But if his anger and disturbing nature transcended his music, that's when people are meant to step in and help. Horrorcore was definitely a sign, but it wasn't the only sign, not by a long shot.
Comments (8)
I followed this only cuz he's from the Bay Area...where I also live.
Music can only be blamed if it's evil when played backward...not if played forward.
Come on, everyone knows that.
From the Chicago beatdown to this to Columbine, one thing rings true for me..human life is being devalued. But it isn't just the US..places where there are no radio and TV have folks committing gruesome acts and children being sent to fight.
Murder ballads have been around since music, so I dunno about that being a cause...the folks in charge set the tone, and if they aren't valuing each person (see Katrina) then that's where the problems come from.
Another way of valuing people is educating them..there's also a problem there too.
Well-reasoned.
Religious Fascists have always had it in for music because it takes people somewhere else...could be good, could be bad, just like religion.
......hhmmmmmmmm.
food for thought
i'm with Cody B on this one. violence has always been a topic in music and is prevalent in places without music of this sort. can't blame music for where a person ends up in life. in every case, the majority of people who listened to the same music did not make the same types of choices...
YOU ARE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION. IT'S NOT "DID THE MUSIC MAKE HIM KILL."
YOU SHOULD ASK "WHAT ELSE CONTRIBUTED TO THE KILLING."
Sam McCroskey was part of a Satanic Group (or cult) disguised as a record label.
See http://www.Horror-Core.blogspot.com
Okay, Annieander, I hope your joking, otherwise you must just be retarded. I've been a fan of Horrorcore for years, more specifically, Insane Clown Posse. Yes, I'm a juggalo and have been since 91. This is a tragic event, true, but don't blame it just on the music. This kid obviously had problems! Just because his music is violent though doesn't mean that thats what set him off. After all, ICP sounds harsh and evil when you listen to them casually, but when you actually LISTEN to the lyrics, they're actually rapping about people going to hell because of their actions! Yes, some of it is twisted, maybe a little warped, but come on, thats what people said of Elvis in the 50's. Music cant be blamed because of this. This dude was freaking insane to do something like this. I'm aspiring in the Horrorcore scene, but I'm also a US Marine. I have values, dedication, and know the difference between right and wrong. This guy didn't. Don't blame his actions based on what he rapped about. Take Violent J for example. He raps alot about smoking bud, rolling blunts, but the guy hardly ever got high! Just because its in the music doesnt mean its in their actions!!! Stop being stupid and blaming it on something inanimate just to post a headline or improve a story. Anyone with the IQ of a teaspoon can see that this guy had serious issues. He didn't murder 4 people just because he was into Horrorcore. And for those of you who think its "blasphemy" or "satanic", stop speaking!!! You make yourselves sound retarded blaming our differences on music, movies, and video games!