Just look up top 10 cities or metro areas for violent crime. Memphis Metro Area, in and around Memphis TN, is one of them on most years. We have lots of good areas and things going on with the worst stuff mainly in impoverished, minority areas. Lots of street gangs that maintain efficiency and image with armed robbery, murder to solve disputes, and/or initiation by murder of innocent, harmless people. Impoverished, white areas are fairly safe with their crooks mainly doing property crime or con jobs. Rarely violent. Most impoverished areas I've been have a mix, though. Middle-class and upper-class areas are also fairly safe outside property crime regardless of mix. Last I checked, city was going mostly Black with lots of Latinos coming in and Whites moving out due to crime. Actually, exits from all races for that. Often outside of Memphis but having jobs inside it. Economy & education keep going downhill predictably. Many companies refuse to deliver to certain areas or leave the city since theft overtakes profits quickly. Many make it, though, with beefed up security. Local grocer has 8 security guards for one store. Police themselves guard best, Chinese, food place. Haha.
That's backdrop. Relevant here, North and South Memphis are largely the worst in terms of violence. You do not want to be in certain neighborhoods regardless of color. Even cops avoid them. Others are a risk more if you're white or look like you have property to take. Local media & cops suppress the worst of it to maintain tourism revenue (eg Elvis, BBQ) although the murders naturally get reported. Examples of censorship were kicking out The First 48 show and rape kit scandal. That Google Maps takes you right near those areas is probably why lots of people think the whole city is hood and trashed rather than just those parts. They never see the good parts unless specifically visiting them family, friends, jobs, or tourism.
So, yeah, it's a real issue. I double-check Google Maps if I'm going anywhere Downtown, Midtown, North, or South as it doesn't differentiate risky vs non-risky areas. I regularly have to force it to make safer routes. Straight-up avoid certain areas of the city unless I'm packing heat & with backup. Otherwise, still all kinds of good things to get involved in over there with most folks being alright. We just in a rough area and economy. :)
Note: As another example, BLM protestors sieged our Interstate (I-40) last night for hours then dispersed into Downtown. Local news cautioned everyone to stay away from that area for safety as it's normally dangerous but now unpredictable. Bad route at the least. Google routes still offering me a speedy trip through there, though. Unreal.