Hip hop opera targets gun crime

Jocelyn Brown features on the anti-gun songs

An opera with hip hop music has been created to try to keep teenagers away from a life of violent crime.

The 50-minute film was devised by the Urban Concept project in south London and uses music videos, documentary film footage and contributions from victims.

Mothers and other relatives of youths killed by violence involving guns or knives, launched the Don't Trigger campaign in City Hall in London.

Five anti-gun videos have also been made for screening on TV music shows.

Body bag

Singers from across the music industry, including Jocelyn Brown and Maxi Priest, have joined together to produce the anti-gun songs.

Don't Trigger is a unique project using music and those who have been affected by gun crime to influence young people in gangs.

Raymond Stevenson from Urban Concepts, the organisation behind the campaign said: "Imagine it was your child delivered to you in a body bag, how would you feel?

"Wouldn't you want the whole country to condemn the perpetrators and support your loss? Don't Trigger gives you an opportunity to be part of the solution."

We never know what will reach the young people but music is one of their inspirations Yvette Bryson-Graham, mother of a stabbing victim

Among the audience was Yvette Bryson-Graham, 42, from Peckham in south London, whose 21-year-old son, Javarie Crighton, was stabbed to death in February.

"We never know what will reach the young people but music is one of their inspirations and this campaign should help and I hope it helps," she said.

She also urged the government and police to help people to "walk away from crime" and gain their trust.

Four of the music videos were played at the launch and many of the relatives of victims wore T-shirts with pictures of the deceased on them.