https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYh6P-NTSF/

This video proves it: a grandmother in Englewood - half a mile from O-Block - believes more cops = more safety. That’s her lived reality. But 60+ years of research says police presence barely dents crime.

Meanwhile, rappers been screaming the root cause: economics.

Freeway warned of ag rob on his track What We Do (Feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel): "If my sneaks start leanin’ and my heat stop workin’… then my heat start workin’, I’ma rob me a person." - https://open.spotify.com/track/5kDkWHFx0AEvJ1Pfm2i0ac

That’s the economic determinants of crime in plain English.

Nas already told you on N.Y. State of Mind: “I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death… I got so many rhymes I don’t think I’m too sane.” - https://open.spotify.com/track/0trHOzAhNpGCsGBEu7dOJo

It’s survival math, not poetry class.

Jay broke it down on Can’t Knock the Hustle: “I’m makin’ short term goals, wonderin’ if my soul’s intact… I’m from the school of the hard knocks.” - https://open.spotify.com/track/5H4PU7wBIXL259apGjSpOr

Those bars are economic policy briefs. Joey Bada$$, Kendrick, Cole—they’ve all been citing the same data point: no food, no future = more heat in the streets.

Hip hop is the sociology textbook nobody in power wanted to read. You just gotta listen. The block been clear: fix the poverty, not just the optics.