Noir 5.7: Influence

Influence is the power to have an effect on the character, development or behavior of someone or something. When it comes to the very idea of guns, influence is a compelling and almost imperceptible force led by the media, music or loved ones who shape our beliefs about their purpose and role. To the same end, guns themselves are equally, if not more, influential in practice—often dismantling years of socialized fear and prejudice with each and every pull of the trigger.

In this episode of NOIR, Colion Noir sheds light on how this concept impacts us at the individual and societal level. First, Colion meets Julie Golob, Team Smith & Wesson captain and NRATV’s Love at First Shot lead instructor. They head out to the range for some timed drills, after which he and Corinne come out on top for this week’s ARs-only edition of the NOIR Team Challenge. Next, Colion has a very personal and raw conversation about the intersection between gun culture and rap music with friend and former recording artist Chris Strong—highlighting the ways in which the black community has suffered from the medium’s glorification of gun violence.