Like most people in the UK, I am horrified by the deaths of two teenagers caught in the crossfire of a gang gun battle in Birmingham over the New Year.

However, blaming gun violence on hip-hop music is a load of old tosh.

Hip-hop might not be to everyone's taste and, yes, some of the lyrics leave a lot to be desired but there are other songs that are just as bad and just as violent.

Does anyone remember the song from the Nineties called Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks? This cheerfully told the story of the violent end of an abusive husband at the hands of his wife and two friends and, yes, Earl got his come-uppance via a gun.

We live in a society heavily influenced by the US. We might not want to admit it but a lot of people, especially the younger generation, think that what comes out of the US is "cool" and, as we know, the US has a gun culture practically built into its constitution.

Don't blame hip-hop for a situation that has been allowed to get out of hand by our uncaring politicians and indifferent government.

I am not blaming the US for the British gun culture. We could have stemmed the tide long ago but we did not. Now we are simply reaping what we have tragically sown.

-Sacha, St James Street, Brighton