We’ve held time and again that thug culture is the single most recognizable source of criminal violence in this nation, because this subculture both justifies and popularizes violence as an acceptable way to get ahead in life. It is echoed in thug culture music, movies, and in daily interactions where they view their fellow human beings as prey, and themselves as predators.

Gun control supporters attempting to reclassify themselves as opponents to “gun violence” (as if other forms of criminal violence are acceptable) keep attempting to skate around the thorny issue of thug culture, but thug culture has an ugly way of refusing to go away when ignored.

Two men involved in a rap group robbed and murdered a man in Florida on Wednesday so they could “flash cash” at a concert later that night, police said.

Joseph Brandon Jr., 18, and Jonathan Felix, 21, were charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Tyler Macklin, 21. The pair also faced armed robbery, armed burglary and conspiracy charges. A third man, 20-year-old Dylan Kindred, allegedly came up with the idea to target Macklin and was charged with conspiracy, police said.

The men’s motive allegedly stemmed from a desire to “flash cash” while performing at a rap show in Tampa, FOX13 reported. But the men didn’t have enough of their own money to “demonstrate their desired level of affluence” so they decided to rob Macklin, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.

Kindred is accused of driving the getaway vehicle while Felix, also known as “Killa,” and Gomes-Brandon, also known as “Wax,” allegedly murdered Macklin. Investigators said Kindred admitted that he suggested robbing Macklin but that the duo was only “supposed to steal cash and drugs,” not kill him.

These young felons who so thoroughly embrace and display every caricature of “thug life” are not isolated to a specific race or geographic region, but do have a shared predatory mindset and culture.

These wannabe rappers committed an armed robbery and then committed murder to steal cash to appear to be more successful than they actually are.

This isn’t a “gun safety” issue.

Like most violence crimes, the issue isn’t a lack of background checks, or waiting periods, or magazine capacity, or any other possible gun law that can be concocted by those zealously focused on divesting you of your human right to bear arms in self-defense against predators like these.

This is a thug culture problem, and it’s rampant, and unaddressed by the very same souls proclaiming we have a “gun violence” problem.