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THE MAKING OF A MASS SHOOTER
Symbolism, Culture and the Highland Park shooter
Part I
What's the significance of the number 47?
Down the rabbit hole we go.
THE MAKING OF A MASS SHOOTER
Symbolism, Culture and the Highland Park shooter
Part I
What's the significance of the number 47?
Down the rabbit hole we go.
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Our story begins in 2011 at Brooklyn’s Edward R Murrow High School.
A young aspiring rapper named Jamal Dewar formed a hip-hop collective with 3 of his classmates. They called themselves Pro Era. Dewar assumed leadership of the group and took the name Capital Steez.
Our story begins in 2011 at Brooklyn’s Edward R Murrow High School.
A young aspiring rapper named Jamal Dewar formed a hip-hop collective with 3 of his classmates. They called themselves Pro Era. Dewar assumed leadership of the group and took the name Capital Steez.
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Steez exhibited unusual spiritual awareness for a teenager. Although he grew up in a Christian home, he drifted from his mother’s faith as he got older.
Steez exhibited unusual spiritual awareness for a teenager. Although he grew up in a Christian home, he drifted from his mother’s faith as he got older.
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He believed Jesus Christ was black and showed interest in Rastafianism (to include smoking lots of ganja).
“He started telling me about how the white Jesus was fake and how Jesus was really black,” said one friend.
He believed Jesus Christ was black and showed interest in Rastafianism (to include smoking lots of ganja).
“He started telling me about how the white Jesus was fake and how Jesus was really black,” said one friend.
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From watching the Youtube series Spirit Science, Steez learned about numerology, Egyptian mysticism, astral projection and other New Age concepts.
From watching the Youtube series Spirit Science, Steez learned about numerology, Egyptian mysticism, astral projection and other New Age concepts.
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He believed himself to be an Indigo Child.
In the 1970s there emerged a belief that a few chosen children were born with superior physic ability, extreme intuitiveness, innate spirituality and a refusal to bend to authority.
He believed himself to be an Indigo Child.
In the 1970s there emerged a belief that a few chosen children were born with superior physic ability, extreme intuitiveness, innate spirituality and a refusal to bend to authority.
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Indigo Children were destined to lead us into the dawning of a new age.
Indigo Children were destined to lead us into the dawning of a new age.
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The belief in Indigo Children was popularized once again in the 90’s with the publication of a best-selling book.
The belief in Indigo Children was popularized once again in the 90’s with the publication of a best-selling book.
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By the end of his high school days, Steez had transformed himself from a chubby kid to a hardened street-wise rapper. He was ready to make his mark in the world of New York hip hop.
By the end of his high school days, Steez had transformed himself from a chubby kid to a hardened street-wise rapper. He was ready to make his mark in the world of New York hip hop.
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In February 2012, Pro Era gained its first notoriety when the video for the song Survival Tactics started amassing an impressive number of views on Youtube.
In February 2012, Pro Era gained its first notoriety when the video for the song Survival Tactics started amassing an impressive number of views on Youtube.
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The track is actually credited to fellow Pro Era member Joey Bada$$; however, it is Steez who steals the video with his electric 2nd verse.
Steez wore a panda mask in the video, which he had worn at the Occupy Wall Street protest earlier.
The track is actually credited to fellow Pro Era member Joey Bada$$; however, it is Steez who steals the video with his electric 2nd verse.
Steez wore a panda mask in the video, which he had worn at the Occupy Wall Street protest earlier.
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The video ends with an image of a bound man in a business suit, wearing a cloth over his head. In the background, a smiley face is visible.
The video ends with an image of a bound man in a business suit, wearing a cloth over his head. In the background, a smiley face is visible.
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As Steez set his sights on releasing a solo mixtape, he turned his attention to designing an album cover. He decided it would include one of his obsessions: the number 47.
As Steez set his sights on releasing a solo mixtape, he turned his attention to designing an album cover. He decided it would include one of his obsessions: the number 47.
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Steez believed 47 represented the perfect tension between the 4th chakra and the 7th chakra.
The heart and the mind.
Steez believed 47 represented the perfect tension between the 4th chakra and the 7th chakra.
The heart and the mind.
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He saw 47 everywhere and in everything – street signs, clocks, social media posts, movies, television.
Everywhere.
He saw 47 everywhere and in everything – street signs, clocks, social media posts, movies, television.
Everywhere.
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To promote the release of his album, Steez designed a 47 sticker. The number was in black surrounded by a white circle with a red background.
The obvious problem is its resemblance to a Nazi swastika.
To promote the release of his album, Steez designed a 47 sticker. The number was in black surrounded by a white circle with a red background.
The obvious problem is its resemblance to a Nazi swastika.
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But, steeped in his learning of Eastern mysticism, Steez believed the symbol to be one of peace that was hijacked for evil purposes. He wanted to regain the original meaning.
But, steeped in his learning of Eastern mysticism, Steez believed the symbol to be one of peace that was hijacked for evil purposes. He wanted to regain the original meaning.
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At least one author claims that the stickers were passed out in a heavily Jewish area, though. That does seem unnecessarily provocative.
(Nearly all the background bio about Steez in this thread was sourced from this article)
thefader.com
At least one author claims that the stickers were passed out in a heavily Jewish area, though. That does seem unnecessarily provocative.
(Nearly all the background bio about Steez in this thread was sourced from this article)
thefader.com
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Steez released his debut album, Amerikkkan Korruption, on April 7, 2012.
4th month, 7th day.
47
AK-47
Steez released his debut album, Amerikkkan Korruption, on April 7, 2012.
4th month, 7th day.
47
AK-47
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I found the album to be better than expected. Steez’s lyrics are unusually sophisticated for a teenager.
The best song on the album is Free the Robots. Bots being the equivalent of “normies” or NPCs.
I found the album to be better than expected. Steez’s lyrics are unusually sophisticated for a teenager.
The best song on the album is Free the Robots. Bots being the equivalent of “normies” or NPCs.
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Free the Robots samples the Moody Blues’ Dear Diary, which gives the song a dreamy quality.
Steez warns we are living in a world where all is not what it seems.
Free the Robots samples the Moody Blues’ Dear Diary, which gives the song a dreamy quality.
Steez warns we are living in a world where all is not what it seems.
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Illuminati tryin' to read my mind with a eagle eye
And the haze got me thinkin', why
We killed Osama and plenty innocent people died
We should see the signs, but we Stevie blind
Illuminati tryin' to read my mind with a eagle eye
And the haze got me thinkin', why
We killed Osama and plenty innocent people died
We should see the signs, but we Stevie blind
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Haze is a slang term for cannabis.
The video shows Steez sitting in front of a television set, smoking lots of weed and becoming increasingly disoriented.
Haze is a slang term for cannabis.
The video shows Steez sitting in front of a television set, smoking lots of weed and becoming increasingly disoriented.
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The video ends after Steez has left his dark room for the sunlight outside, suggesting he has achieved some form of spiritual enlightenment.
The video ends after Steez has left his dark room for the sunlight outside, suggesting he has achieved some form of spiritual enlightenment.
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The dark room is like the cave in the famous allegory of Plato.
The images on the television are the shadows cast on the wall that the prisoners of a false reality believe to be real.
Free the robots.
The dark room is like the cave in the famous allegory of Plato.
The images on the television are the shadows cast on the wall that the prisoners of a false reality believe to be real.
Free the robots.
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While Steez might be able to transcend materialism, record companies can’t, unfortunately.
Amerikkkan Korruption received critical praise, but it didn’t sell particularly well.
Executives decided Joey Bada$$ was the more commercially viable rapper.
While Steez might be able to transcend materialism, record companies can’t, unfortunately.
Amerikkkan Korruption received critical praise, but it didn’t sell particularly well.
Executives decided Joey Bada$$ was the more commercially viable rapper.
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When the collective went on its first tour, they were billed as Joey Bada$$ and Pro Era. Steez was relegated to 2nd fiddle in the group he founded.
Steez’s beliefs became even more extreme during the tour and his mood darkened.
His pot smoking also increased.
When the collective went on its first tour, they were billed as Joey Bada$$ and Pro Era. Steez was relegated to 2nd fiddle in the group he founded.
Steez’s beliefs became even more extreme during the tour and his mood darkened.
His pot smoking also increased.
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Steez claimed he was the Baphomet, the half-man and half-goat symbol of the equilibrium of opposites. It represents male and female, good and evil, night and day, sun and moon.
One hand points up, the other hand down.
“As above, so below”
Steez claimed he was the Baphomet, the half-man and half-goat symbol of the equilibrium of opposites. It represents male and female, good and evil, night and day, sun and moon.
One hand points up, the other hand down.
“As above, so below”
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He even used the Baphomet as his profile picture on facebook. His friends found his behavior increasingly strange, to the point they couldn’t understand him half the time.
He even used the Baphomet as his profile picture on facebook. His friends found his behavior increasingly strange, to the point they couldn’t understand him half the time.
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Steez became increasingly paranoid that he was under investigation by the NPYD for his 47 stickers. His world was spinning out of control.
Steez became increasingly paranoid that he was under investigation by the NPYD for his 47 stickers. His world was spinning out of control.
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On December 23, 2012, Steez tweeted “The end.”
Just after midnight, he jumped from a Manhattan building to his death.
He was found on the street below, clutching a Bible to his chest
On December 23, 2012, Steez tweeted “The end.”
Just after midnight, he jumped from a Manhattan building to his death.
He was found on the street below, clutching a Bible to his chest
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December 23, 2012
12/23/12
12 + 23 + 12 = 47
December 23, 2012
12/23/12
12 + 23 + 12 = 47
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In the wake of his death at such a young age, conspiracy theories arose that he was murdered.
Popular theories ranged from he was offered as a blood sacrifice to he was murdered by the Illumnati or the NYPD.
In the wake of his death at such a young age, conspiracy theories arose that he was murdered.
Popular theories ranged from he was offered as a blood sacrifice to he was murdered by the Illumnati or the NYPD.
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But considering his deteriorating mental condition and heavy smoking, it’s most likely that Steez simply cracked.
But considering his deteriorating mental condition and heavy smoking, it’s most likely that Steez simply cracked.
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Several years later, in 2018, a suggestion to Steez’s song, Dead Prez, would be made by a user named Awake The Rapper aka Robert Crimo, the Highland Park shooter.
Several years later, in 2018, a suggestion to Steez’s song, Dead Prez, would be made by a user named Awake The Rapper aka Robert Crimo, the Highland Park shooter.
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As far as I can tell, Steez was the only profile Crimo ever made a suggestion to. I believe Steez to have been a musical influence on Crimo. I’ll make a case for that in another thread.
As far as I can tell, Steez was the only profile Crimo ever made a suggestion to. I believe Steez to have been a musical influence on Crimo. I’ll make a case for that in another thread.
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Steez’s music may have introduced Crimo to the number 47, but there’s a lot more that explains why Crimo was open to adopting the number as his own.
More later.
Steez’s music may have introduced Crimo to the number 47, but there’s a lot more that explains why Crimo was open to adopting the number as his own.
More later.
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