Dangerous Dada?

This chapter compares the rap genre, UK Drill to the anti-war, Dada art movement. Parallels are drawn between the use of everyday materials (&s;ready-made&s;), as reflecting socio-political violence, and the use of masks. Although Dada is credited as avant-garde, political commentary, UK Drill is frequently censored and criminalised. Canton suggests that this is in part due to the racialisation of Black creators who are denied the same artistic licence to symbolise and stage social violence. Instead, rap is widely perceived as literal and dangerous. Readers are encouraged to reconsider UK Drill as an artistic expression rather than a criminal one, locating violence in systemic racism and criminalisation.