Rap Music: The Final Thought

 As the popularity of rap music in today’s society is dramatically increasing, violence and drug use though teens have also been on the rise. As I was digging though some studies and facts, I had found one that was particularly surprising. In an online article I have recently found, states that American Statistics show (in music lyrics) Forty-seven percent (47%) of mothers with children in public schools believe that violent messages in rap music contribute "a great deal" to school violence, and 66% of 13- to 17-year-old's believe violence in music is partly responsible for violent crimes like the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. To me, that says a lot about what huge impact rap music and other violent music has on today’s youth.  Many popular rappers today such as Lil Wayne, Eminem, Nas, along with many other star rappers, seem to only rap about money, sex, drugs, and alcohol abuse. This leads teens to believe that abusing drugs, sex, or alcohol is “cool”. Music has such an influence on everybody on a daily basis. If music didn't influence us, nobody would even listen to it and the whole concept of music would be worthless. Along with all of the violence in recent history, should we blame it on the rap music industry? I don’t believe that we should, although I do believe that listening to rap music causes violence in young teens.  Below is a video that I found on YouTube regarding the effects of rap music on teens.  

                                           

                According to this particular video, statistics say that teens between the ages of 13 to 17 listen to about 4 to 5 hours of some kind of music per day. Many rappers just flaunt about their riches and fame in their music and portray a really bad example on kids. What kids don’t know is how to handle this type of music responsibly. They look up to bug star rappers because of their money and fame, and believe that you will be just like them if you abuse alcohol and drugs and even sex. They make it seem like this type of living is acceptable for young teens to live. When in reality it is just not okay.  

                Overall, I do believe that rap music does have a powerful influence on teens in today’s society. It leads them to think that violence is just perfectly fine. They think that if the rapper can get away with it, they can to. After a long process of critical thinking and synthesis over this topic, I strongly agree that today’s rap industry does in fact have a strong influence on teens. Although that this is my own opinion, it is up to you initially if this type of music is just plain wrong and demeaning towards not just kids, but also towards women, or if it is just freedom of speech throughout the rappers and that it is up to the youth to choose whether or not that this music influences them so strongly.

Lyrics: Deeper Meanings?

When it comes to the rap music industry, many rap stars and big time producers do not think of the consequences of their actions after writing a or producing a rap song.  When I listen to a favorite song by one of my favorite artists (Eminem, Lil Wayne, Tupac, Biggie, Etc.), I do come across some questionable lyrics that I just have no idea what they are talking about or how very influential they can be. As a fellow rap/hip hop listener, I do enjoy this type of music to an extent. Even though I am a fan of this type of music and yet not very influenced personally by it but that does not stop millions of teen’s globally from thinking differently about it. I started to think about the actual lyrics themselves in many songs that are potentially putting kids at a high risk of alcohol and drug abuse.

                For example, take rap star Waka Flocka featuring a song with B.o.B. The song titled: “Fist Pump” clearly states irresponsible drinking habits with the lyrics:

You know where we at now (at now)

Drinking bottles till we pass out (pass out)

I don’t even know how to act now (act now)

Now put your fist in the air, fist, fist in the air

Now fist pump, fist pump, fist pump, fist pump

Now fist pump, fist pump, fist pump, fist pump

Now fist pump, fist pump, fist pump, fist pump

Now fist pump, now fist pump, fist pump

Now fist pump, now fist pump  

These lyrics, also part of the songs chorus, clearly influences dangerous drinking habits, after the chorus, these lyrics appear and rapped by rap star B.o.B:

We fucking up the club when we fist pump

Whole party looking at us crazy cause we this drunk

My body showing symptoms of liquor in my system

Her booty working hard like it’s trying to earn the pension

Now listen, I’m shit faced, I’m trashed.

This particular song has many other drug and alcohol related references in them. When teen’s here this, they automatically think that it is cool to drink until they are “trashed”  and leads them to thinking getting trashed leads to getting girls relating to the lyrics “Her booty working hard like it’s trying to earn the pension”. These types of lyrics are the kind that leads kids and even young adults into drinking heavily and abusing alcohol in a very dangerous, almost deadly way.  Let’s take a look at another song but except that this one is referring to marijuana use. This song written and performed by rap star Dr.Dre, titled “Kush” is a song heavily referring to a type of marijuana called “Kush” on the streets. The lyrics are as shown:

No, it ain't no seeds in my sack, you ain't never gottta ask, dawg

What he smokin' on? Shit, kush 'til my mind gone

What you think I'm on? Eyes low, I'm blown

High as a motherfucker, there ain't no question 'bout it.

As you can see, these lyrics are full of drug related references.  As teens and young adults are exposed to these types of lyrics in not only this song, but thousands of songs that refer to drug and alcohol abuse. This leads teen’s to believe that the use of weed can set their mind free and is easy to get referred to by the lyrics “No, it ain't no seeds in my sack, you ain't never gottta ask, dawg”.  This also encourages teens to smoke and abuse drugs as they listen to songs just like this.  These along with many other songs can influence many of today’s youth to abuse drugs and alcohol and potentially lead them to violence in and in some cases even lead to death.

               

                                

Rap Music: Linked to alcohol and drug use??

In my last post a few days ago, I had explored if the production of rap music in today’s youth really matters and does it really affect the way teens are living out their futures.  These inquiries lead me to think of another really important question: Does rap music enhance the use of alcohol and drugs in teen’s lives? I took a closer look and examined some sources that may lead to the answer.

                After reading this particular source by NPR, I had found another article which was announced over NPR News in May of 2006. A study by the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, shows that a good amount of teens that listen to rap music have an increased chance to abuse alcohol and drugs in their lifetime. Other songs such as "Pass the Courvoisier" by rap artist Busta Rhymes, are suggesting and taunting kids in today’s society that abusing alcohol and drugs is “cool”.  According to Mr. David Jernigan (Executive Director, Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, Georgetown University) “Young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol dependent than those who wait until they're 21; seven times more likely to be in an alcohol rated motor vehicle; 11 times more likely to suffer from violence, to be involved in a fight after drinking.”

                After finding and reading another particular source provided by The New York Times, I came across an article written by Tara Parker-Pope in February of 2008, titled “Under the Influence of…Music?” Pope takes the time to explain the relationship between rap music and alcohol abuse.  According to the Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, that only about 9 percent of hip-hop had contained references to drug and alcohol use, about 14 percent in rock songs, about 20 percent in R&B songs, 36 percent in today’s country songs, and last but not least, a whopping 77 percent of rap music lyrics contain references to drug and alcohol abuse.

                Overall, I think that both of these articles had many similarities under the topic of the influence of rap music in today’s society. I do believe that they do make some clear points but also question some as well. For instance: Does rap music only affect those belonging to the African American culture? Or is it affecting everybody that listens to it? These are the questions that still keep me pondering around the single, universal thought: Is rap music THAT bad??

Does it really matter?

                In my last post, I had explored the many influences of rap music on today’s society. Since that last post, I decided that I needed just a bit more information about the actual effects of rap on today’s youth, so I had searched around for answers on the web as well as in many books and published magazine articles. After all of the searching, I had come across a unique source titled “The Negative Influence of Gangster Rap And What Can Be Done About It” published in June of 1999 by Anthony M. Giovacchini. In this article, Giovacchini shows how the production of rap music can have such a negative impact on teens today. This makes me wonder, however, if teens in today’s society can be as easily manipulated by rap as other teens can. This makes me lead to the question, does all rap music have a negative impact on society? And if it does can we do something about it?

                After reading yet one other article by Gina Poltrok, published in February of 1994, takes another look at the influence of rap among today’s youth. Poltrok shows that rap can also have a positive influence on teens today. She continues to explain how rap helps troubled youth living in poverty something that they can relate to and allows them to express themselves though the lyrics. Some common questions that arise from this article include: Does rap music really make a positive influence on youth today? Does it really help kids connect with the outside world or does it just lead to more violence and disrespect?

                When I compare these two sources by Giovacchini and Poltrok, I find that both of them have much in common in stating whether or not rap music is a bad influence or not. Both do an excellent job of presenting the subject clearly. Among all of these ideas, I still do question the subject from many perspectives. Does rap music or just music in general really have that strong of an influence on teens today to lead them to make bad or violent decisions?

                There are many types of music in today’s pop culture types of music ranging from country all the way to classical. Music helps many people around the globe express themselves through a way that many might not have even seen possible. There are many types of music: country, hip hop, R&B, soul, reggae, classical, rap, and even techno has made its way up the culture chart in today’s modern society among teenagers and young adults globally. Music helps many people express themselves whether it be making it, or just simply listening to your favorite song on a popular radio station or your IPod. But when does expressing yourself cross the line? When does music such as rap or hip hop become less expressing and more action taking? Are today’s teenagers being affected by the influence of rap music and causing bad behavior? Or is it simply just another song?

                Music has a way of swaying people’s emotions. It has a way of making us feel better, or feel worse. It has a way of transforming our thoughts into moving pictures by lyrics and tones and beats of the tune.  It allows us to express ourselves without even knowing it. It brings out our true nature and tells a story about us. You can tell a lot about a certain person just by what he/she is listening to or what kind of music that they enjoy listening to. Without even realizing it, music can influence our lives in a lot of different ways and strongly influence our day to day lives. Whether you are attending your favorite band’s concert, or just  catch yourself singing along to one of your favorite songs on the radio, all music influences everybody one way or another.