The Intersection of Tragedy and Art: Analyzing the Budd Dwyer Death Video and the Suicideboy$ Kill Yourself III Saga

The 1987 televised suicide of Pennsylvania State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer remains one of the most harrowing moments in American media history, sparking a decades-long debate regarding the ethics of broadcasting graphic violence. This event, captured in high definition for its time, transitioned from a localized news tragedy to a digital artifact, eventually finding a second life within the dark, nihilistic aesthetic of the New Orleans rap duo $uicideboy$. By examining the Budd Dwyer Death Video: Media's Role & Suicideboy$ Kill Yourself III Saga Album Review, one can trace the evolution of shock media and its profound influence on modern underground hip-hop culture.

The Historical Context of the Budd Dwyer Incident

On January 22, 1987, R. Budd Dwyer called a press conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, following his conviction on charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, perjury, and interstate transportation in aid of racketeering. Dwyer, who maintained his innocence until the very end, was facing a sentence of up to 55 years in prison. What the gathered journalists expected to be a resignation speech turned into a desperate final act of protest. Dwyer, after reading a prepared statement that criticized the justice system, pulled a .357 Magnum from a manila envelope and ended his life in front of rolling cameras.

The immediate aftermath was a chaotic scene of trauma for the reporters present. "I should have run out of there when he pulled the gun out, but I'm a journalist, and I stayed," recalled one photographer present at the scene. The footage was raw, visceral, and, most importantly, it was recorded. This was not a dramatization; it was a high-ranking public official’s final moments, documented with the unflinching clarity of 1980s television cameras. The event set a precedent for how newsrooms handle live, unpredictable violence, a challenge that has only intensified in the age of social media and real-time streaming.

Media Ethics and the Dilemma of the Broadcast

The role of the media in the Dwyer case is a cornerstone of journalism ethics courses. In 1987, news directors had to make split-second decisions about whether to air the footage. Most stations in Pennsylvania chose to air the footage only up to the point where the gun was displayed, while others, such as WPXI in Pittsburgh, aired the full, unedited sequence during a midday broadcast. The backlash was immediate. Critics argued that airing the suicide served no public interest and only served to sensationalize a tragedy, while proponents argued that the public had a right to see the unfiltered reality of the event.

This debate highlights the "gatekeeper" role that traditional media once held. In the 1980s, if a news director decided not to show a clip, the general public had almost no way of seeing it. However, the Dwyer footage became one of the first "viral" videos before the internet existed, circulated via VHS tapes and underground "shock" compilations like Faces of Death. As the digital age dawned, the video found a permanent home on shock sites like LiveLeak and Rotten.com, stripping away the journalistic context and turning Dwyer’s death into a piece of dark internet lore.

The Rise of $uicideboy$ and the Aesthetic of Despair

Decades after the Harrisburg tragedy, the New Orleans duo $uicideboy$—composed of cousins Ruby da Cherry and $crim—emerged as leaders of a new wave of "shadow rap" or "horrorcore." Their brand is built on themes of drug addiction, suicidal ideation, and a profound sense of societal alienation. Central to their visual and thematic identity is the use of disturbing historical imagery. The duo famously used a still frame from the Budd Dwyer press conference as the cover art for their Kill Yourself Part III: The Budd Dwyer Saga, directly linking their musical output to one of the most infamous moments in television history.

For $uicideboy$, the image of Dwyer is not merely a shock tactic; it serves as a symbol of the "system" crushing the individual. Their music often explores the feeling of being backed into a corner with no escape—a sentiment that Dwyer expressed in his final speech. This connection between a 1980s political scandal and 2010s underground rap demonstrates how historical traumas are recycled and reinterpreted by younger generations to express contemporary anxieties.

Album Review: Kill Yourself Part III - The Budd Dwyer Saga

The Kill Yourself Part III: The Budd Dwyer Saga is widely considered one of the most cohesive and influential EPs in the $uicideboy$ discography. Released during a prolific period for the duo, the project showcases the signature production style of $crim (under his producer alias Budd Dwyer) and the versatile vocal deliveries of Ruby da Cherry. The EP is characterized by heavy, distorted basslines, eerie atmospheric samples, and lyrics that provide a raw, unfiltered look into the artists' psyches.

Track Analysis and Production: The project opens with a sense of impending doom, much like the press conference it references. The production is lo-fi yet intentional, utilizing "Phonk" elements—a subgenre of hip-hop that draws heavily from 1990s Memphis rap. The use of the "Budd Dwyer" moniker for $crim’s production is a deliberate nod to the "sacrifice" he feels he makes through his art. The beats are claustrophobic, mirroring the mental state of someone struggling with severe depression.

• "My Flaws Burn Through My Skin Like Demonic Flames from Hell": This track stands out for its melodic yet melancholic backing track. Ruby’s verse is particularly poignant, touching on the fleeting nature of fame and the persistence of inner demons.
• "Kill Yourself (Part III)": Often cited as their most famous song, this track is the emotional core of the saga. It features a haunting sample and lyrics that have resonated with millions of listeners worldwide who feel marginalized or misunderstood.

The lyrical content of the album is intentionally abrasive. It does not seek to provide comfort; instead, it offers solidarity in suffering. By naming the saga after Dwyer, the duo suggests that their music is their own "final statement" to a world they find increasingly hostile. The EP’s success helped solidify $uicideboy$ as more than just an internet curiosity, proving that there was a massive, untapped audience for music that addressed mental health through a dark, uncompromising lens.

The Cultural Impact of "The Budd Dwyer Saga"

The Budd Dwyer Death Video: Media's Role & Suicideboy$ Kill Yourself III Saga Album Review cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the controversy it sparked. Some critics argue that using Dwyer’s image is disrespectful to his family and trivializes a human life for the sake of an "edgy" aesthetic. However, within the fan base of $uicideboy$, the imagery is seen as a form of radical honesty. In a world that often sanitizes death and mental illness, the duo’s refusal to look away from the "ugly" side of reality is seen as authentic.

The "Kill Yourself" series, and the Budd Dwyer Saga in particular, helped define the visual language of the SoundCloud rap era. It moved away from the glitz and glamour of mainstream hip-hop toward a DIY, punk-rock-inspired nihilism. This aesthetic shift influenced countless other artists and changed the way music is marketed on digital platforms, where provocative imagery is often the key to breaking through the noise of the algorithm.

Artistic Expression vs. Public Sensitivity

The use of real-life tragedy in art raises significant questions about the limits of creative freedom. When $uicideboy$ samples or references Dwyer, they are engaging in a long tradition of artists using "found footage" and historical events to comment on the human condition. From Andy Warhol’s "Death and Disaster" series to the industrial music of the 1980s, provocateurs have always used the macabre to challenge societal norms.

However, the digital age has changed the stakes. In 1987, the Dwyer video was a traumatic memory for those who saw it on TV. Today, it is a meme, a GIF, and an album cover. This desensitization is a key theme in the $uicideboy$ oeuvre. They are products of the internet age—a generation that grew up with the world’s horrors available at the click of a button. Their music reflects this overstimulation, acting as a cathartic outlet for the resulting numbness.

Legacy of the Incident and the Music

R. Budd Dwyer’s death remains a cautionary tale about the pressures of public life and the potential for media to become an unwitting participant in a person's demise. For the media, it serves as a reminder of the power of the image and the responsibility that comes with broadcasting reality. For $uicideboy$, the event provided a grim but perfect metaphor for their own artistic journey—a public display of internal agony that cannot be ignored.

The Kill Yourself Part III: The Budd Dwyer Saga continues to garner millions of streams, standing as a testament to the duo's ability to turn personal and historical pain into a cultural phenomenon. While the controversy surrounding the use of Dwyer’s image may never fully subside, the album’s impact on the landscape of modern music is undeniable. It bridges the gap between a 20th-century tragedy and 21st-century digital art, proving that even the darkest moments of our history continue to resonate in unexpected and powerful ways.