Snaprappers, Youtube Gangsters and Insta Imaginaries: An analysis of the construction of a violent imaginary across the connected spaces of social media platforms and the physical street within Dutch drill rap

Abstract

Drill rap is a relatively new phenomenon in the Netherlands, and has been linked to several incidents of violence. The rappers are known for their explicit portrayal of violence, both in their music videos and on their social media accounts. By making use of the analytical concept of violent imaginaries (Schröder & Schmidt, 2001), combined with theory on performance and the code of the street, this thesis is concerned with unpacking the way that drill rappers construct a violent (online) identity. It does so by looking at the way that different elements of the street code are used to build and perform a violent imaginary and the way that social media contributes to the reinforcement and movement of this violent imaginary across both online and offline spaces. It thereby aims to contribute to the increased academic interest in combining digital and urban studies to explore street culture within an online context. This process has been researched through an analysis of drill music videos on Youtube, observation on Snapchat and Instagram and interviews with people encountering drill in their work field. This research demonstrates how drill rappers effectively construct a violent imaginary that portrays them as authentic. They do so by making use of lyrics and imagery about their offline lives, and disseminating these via different online platforms which creates traction. The downside is that, for this violent imaginary to remain authentic, drill rappers are pressured to put their words, or these imaginaries, into action. As these online constructions spill back into 'the street' it creates a dynamic in which one may get entangled. Understanding how violent imaginaries are constructed, performed and reinforced within mutually constitutive online and offline spaces help to recognize the connection between the streets and social media, and the way that this is part of drill rap.