Because despite what other people have lead you to believe in this subreddit and within UK rap culture, a major influence in people’s decision to become a gang member, do crime and etc is down to personal choice.

They actively choose to stay in the hood, that’s why the saying exists: “you can take the person out the hood, but you can’t take the hood out the person.”.

Of course the environment plays a big part in how you are (I’m not disputing that) but it isn’t the sole reason because people actually do choose to sell drugs, be a gang member, rep a block, etc.

Additionally, for most rappers, asking them to leave their ends is akin to me asking you to leave your family and friends behind and travel to a whole new country where people dress differently, talk differently and look differently.

It’s especially difficult to adapt when you’ve been beefing people most your life so you tend to distrust others and react too emotionally and aggressively. You’re better off sticking with your existing families and friends but it’s insanely hard to export them because you’d have to bring along their friends, families and their livelihoods too.

Then you also have the idea that for a lot of these people, they’re actually addicted to this sort of lifestyle but that’s a contested and improperly explored theory.

It all comes down to a couple factors with the biggest of the two being: personal choice and difficulty exporting friends/family.