Along side its many advantages, the web has introduced the sector a brand new possibility – cybercrime. Cybercrimes are offences that deliberately hurt sufferers in quite a lot of tactics the usage of telecommunications networks. One file estimates the worldwide annual price of cybercrime would succeed in US$6 trillion on the finish of 2021.
It’s a serious problem in Nigeria too. About N127 billion or US$649 million is misplaced every year to web fraud, representing 0.08% of the rustic’s gross home product. This makes cybercrime a danger to overseas direct funding and the socio-economic construction of the rustic.
Learn extra:
Meet the ‘Yahoo boys’ – Nigeria’s undergraduate conmen
Researchers have prior to now tested the explanations that folks – particularly younger other folks – get concerned about cybercrimes. Corruption, poverty and unemployment had been cited. However some other side of the cultural context round cyber-criminality – and in all probability its enchantment – is track.
I checked out 3 Nigerian hip hop songs to peer how the lyrics painting cybercrimes. My find out about discovered that the lyrics provide this criminal activity in sure tactics. Hip hop musicians are influential in Nigerian society, particularly amongst younger other folks. They are able to each replicate and form social realities. Their framing of behaviour can lend a hand us take into account that behaviour higher.
Insights into the songs
The 3 songs I selected to take a look at had been: Olu Handle’s Yahooze (2007), Kelly Hansome’s Maga Don Pay (2008) and Abolore Adigun’s Residing Issues (2017). Whilst Yahooze represents the pioneer tune which introduced the slang time period “yahoo-yahoo” (for web fraud in Nigeria), Maga Don Pay represents a center vary tune and Residing Factor is extra recent. Those constitute one thing of a evolution of cybercrime glamorisation songs and are well-liked. All of those songs glamorise and justify cybercrime. The lyrics display it as a “approach out of struggling”, a “sport”, or “paintings”, with massive subject material advantages, slightly than as a criminal offense.
Nigerian musicians (particularly the hip hop style) experience patronage throughout political, social and financial sectors of the society. Their fans see them as position fashions and usually are influenced by way of what their lyrics say. And what those 3 songs are announcing is that cybercrimes are “industry transactions” by which suave other folks dispossess the “Different”.
Olu Handle’s Yahooze
This hit tune has over 3 million perspectives on YouTube and received a couple of awards in 2008. It tells listeners or audience how busy a regular cybercriminal is. It additionally portrays them as individuals who should experience the advantage of their “hard-earned cash” via a public display of good fortune. The lyrics listing what a fraudster can invest in after a a success “hammer”: a automobile like a Hummer, clubbing, pricey beverages and womanising.
If I hammer, very first thing na Hummer, 1 million greenbacks, Elo lo ma je ti n ba se si Naira (How a lot will 1 million greenbacks be when transformed to the Naira?). Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Boys dey hustle. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Gbogbo aye. Champagne, Hennessy, Moët for everyone; Ewo awon omoge (Take a look at the women), dem dey shake their frame.
The tune justifies the spending of the cybercriminals on luxurious pieces. It
portrays them as onerous running guys who “paintings” on weekdays and handiest have time for social actions on weekends.
Kelly Hansome’s Maga Don Pay
Maga is a slang phrase for an individual who’s duped. This tune, too, glamorises cybercrimes and invokes the superb being (God) in celebrating cybercrime good fortune. By way of describing the defrauded as Maga or Mugun, it underscores cybercrimes as a good fortune tale:
An excessive amount of cash, the issue now could be spend it. Masses greenback immediately to Aboki to modify it. I don undergo, each day and night time, our boys dey for machine (pc). Now I don hammer Baba God don bless me … Anything else you wish to have simply identify it cos my maga don pay, shout hallelujah. Mugun don pay, shout hallelujah … Moët, champagne, Henessy … an excessive amount of cash!
The lyrics indicate {that a} a success cybercrime effort receives the blessing of God. Since blessing is extra essential than paintings, nobody will be capable of trade the good fortune tale of a cybercriminal who has been blessed.
Abolore Adigun’s Residing Issues
The musician, referred to as 9ice, has an enormous fan base at house and in another country. The tune is value analysing on account of the number of the identify, Residing Issues. As dwelling issues, human want for sources once in a while creates a contest for useful resource keep an eye on. Luck is incessantly observed as outsmarting competition and gathering wealth. The cybercriminal here’s conceived as a “dwelling factor” with the need to earn a living on the other hand she or he chooses. Since there’s no meals for the indolent, handiest running other folks will have to “consume”. By way of equating cybercriminals with different running other folks, the lyrics recognise the cutting edge talent and power of cybercriminals.
Human being, human being, we earning money another way, another way. As a human being, human being, Ojo iku lojo isimi (We handiest leisure after we die). Ah aha ah aha … Until date na my pay move, mo sise mo rere (I’ve labored and I’ve good points). Thank God is Friday, Kajeye gbagbe osi ooo … (We experience and put out of your mind poverty). Whilst you see me coming, make approach, make approach, make approach.
The cybercriminal instructions the honor of others, who will have to “make approach” on the sight of the dwelling factor. Folks not able to keep an eye on issues and be enterprising are regarded as lifeless beings. Crime is one solution to be counted as a dwelling factor.
Influential
Musicians possess the ability to get massive numbers of fans to spot with their worldview – together with their tackle felony behaviour. This generally is a view that encourages cybercrime, or one that daunts it.
It’s subsequently value bearing in mind whether or not government just like the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee may spouse with the Nigerian track business at the wish to painting cybercrime in a much less sure approach and support consciousness of the damaging penalties of enticing in cybercriminality.
Supply By way of https://theconversation.com/nigerian-hip-hop-lyrics-put-cybercrime-in-a-good-light-159707
