Dating back to the eras of the Beatles and the Rollingstones, music has always had an affect on the ways that people act, dress, and live their lives. With the arrival of rap and hip-hop music in the mid 1980's, new lyrics and cultural values began to spread throughout the radio frequencies of every household and car in society. Rap provided a new form of music - a music based upon fast and catchy rhythms that could launch an audience off of their seats, forcing them to dance in the isles…
Rap music has always been under microscope for its brand of misogyny.(Hip-Hop Objectifies Women But So Does Society) While the blame for violent teens has shifted towards rap music, it still has a small bit of positive supporters. When you listen to rap music your first thought is "God No turns this mess off." Yet us, as in society lacks to see the positive in the lyrics. Rap music was one of the beginning ways that people sought to speak out against the government. In the usual case nobody would say anything, but in 1980s that all would change.…
"From the school yards of the South Bronx to the tops of the Billboard charts, rap has emerged as one of the most influential musical and cultural forces of our time" (Yale University Press). Rappers and hip hop culture are often criticized for advocating violence, misogyny, and crime. However, rap is actually a form of self-expression for African Americans that is available and accessible to just about everyone. The music and culture that stem from hip hop, "emerged from a uniquely African American disposition, and like the blues, jazz, and soul before it, give voice to those who tend to occupy the lowest rungs of the American social ladder" (NPR). It is one of the most influential and ubiquitous art forms of the past few decades because of…
Although some people believe hip hop has a positive influence on young people not ALL hip hop is positive. “Rappers” like Young Thug has literally no purpose. He’s just rapping to be famous and take advantage of girls. People like him make a bad name for hip hop. Most listens to his songs just for the hype. “Prior research has linked levels of exposure to rap music with a range of undesirable health behavior” (Ethnic Identity,Self-Esteem, and Variability in Perceptions of Raps). Hip hop has been found linked to the cause of disrespectful behaviors in this…
In conclusion, we can say that rap is more than a style of music, is art expressed in every lyric. We don’t have to subject to social prejudices, because we only create a stereotype, only guided by a superficial opinion without knowing the real purpose of this kind of music. And the purpose is clear and related to the origin: trying to express the social and political reality in which the communities are not heard and with this way, create the conscience, that’s to say, know what is happening with the people.…
The Media represents a majority of rappers in a negative manner, the first things that come to mind when a person here’s the word “rapper” is violence, guns, rape, sports cars, and sexual satisfaction. For Example what is the first thing that comes to mind when a person here’s the word “country singer” hardworking, patriotic, good morals, respecting women and having morals. That’s the problem! Most rappers are black people and the way the media portrays them causes people of others races to look at them in a negative manner. To carry on the country singer example, most people look at country singers in a positive manner. The rap music that blasts from the stereo causes…
To start at the roots of hip hop however you can clearly see that the message of the music was not to promote violence, but to help curb crime and show that it’s not glamorous. During the 1980’s you had artists like Grand Master Flash, and Public Enemy who preached black empowerment, and left imparting lessons that didn’t hinder but allow black culture to grow, as well as morale. This leads people to pondering nowadays, what happened to this once positive, intelligent music that defined a race and culture? You have 12 year old children listening to vulgar raps about sex, and prostitution, and for black kids in poor ghetto neighborhoods this fantasy driven music glamorizing crime, is seen as the sole “voice” for these children ultimately view that lifestyle as the true way they should be acting. It is as if hip hop music is still attempting to sell this image of the crime life, even when most of the artists have all the money in the world. Hip hop basically reversed the accomplishments of the black community, disguising itself as pertaining a…
In the 1980s, we saw many different genres of music emerge, genres such as Pop, Rock, and R&B. But a new genre emerged that sparked a lot of controversy: “Gangsta Rap” otherwise known as Hip Hop. Rappers/Rap groups such as NWA, Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, and more changed the industry with catchy tunes and lyrics that talked about hard topics like slavery, violence, and police brutality. These lyrics sometimes caused major conflict, whether between races or with civilians and police. Hip Hop was very controversial in the 80s. “Gangsta rap” has caused a lot of controversy, many people protested this music in the late 80s and 90s due to the message within its lyrics and what those lyrics conveyed. Many accused “Gangsta Rap” for promoting things such as crime, killings, profanity, drugs, sex, racism, and more. But Gangsta rap doesn’t influence this type of lifestyle; it’s telling a story/conveying a message of the individuals who wrote the lyrics.…
As hip-hop culture evolved and entered mainstream American culture its focus shifted greatly; however, regardless of the general trends of the genre, hip-hop – specifically the rap music component - continued to express the concerns of an otherwise overlooked portion of America. Today, rap music stands in the forefront of popular music, and the effect of hip-hop culture on the American public is blaringly evident. Yet, despite its commercialization, hip-hop has maintained its status as a highly valid method of…
Rap artists used rap music to release to the listeners what was going on in the world and the communities. Just as everyone has their own story, everyone has their own way of telling it as well, giving birth to multiple different types of rap. Although rap music was in its early stages, it was already on its way to evolution as artists added their own feel to it. Rappers began telling their stories in different ways, bringing the six categories of rap to life. Rap falls into six primary categories; “gangsta,” which focuses mainly on murder, money and chaos; apolitical pop, which has easygoing lyrics and a nice danceable beat; political, whose main focuses are social problems as they analyze what is going on in their communities. The message is usually positive, nonviolent, and encourages the listeners to be more aware of social issues and gives ideas on how to go about fixing or changing them; experimental, which continuously modifies its style; and, finally, feminist, which challenges the stereotypes of women, and proves that women can do whatever men can do. With the six primary categories rap music took off generating hundreds of new listeners and creating a new popular culture (The Rap…
Hip hop serves as a form of unity and a crutch for some. Kids tend to always be looking for an adult figure in their life. Some have many others have none, but just about all look up to those in media. Rappers are a part of a multi-billion dollar industry their reach stretches from clothing to cars. Rappers tend to be that adult figure in most urban communities. These kids look up to see their favourite music stars are like themselves. Popular rap star Kendrick Lamar grew up in Compton, one of Americas worst hoods. Now he is a huge star and has fame and fortune. The youth in situations like this see him as a form of inspiration. They aspire to be great like their favourite hip hop stars; they want to pull themselves out of the ghetto. This impact on youth is a great positive for the genre, and a great story for it to. For some the music that they can identify with the most is a way for other to connect. Much like people connect through sports or other interests, hip hop serves as the same tool. Friendships form through these social bonds provided by the music of this genre. With the formation of these friendships they often lead to positive results. For example Taylor and Taylor note that “Early hip hop has often been credited with helping to reduce inner-city gang violence by replacing physical violence with dance and artwork battles.”(qtd About Hip Hop Youth Subculture, 1) These outlets and groups help in reducing violence and instead promote creativity. Music of any genre is a form on entertainment. Rap is no different; these kids are escaping into the world of music. With these kids staying away from gangs and violence they are more likely to grow up to be functioning members of society. While the rap stars are not the sole reason for this they are definitely a part of the solution as opposed to the problem. There are many examples of rap artists helping the youth in a community whether its “Drake and P Reign playing…
For as long as mankind has walked on this earth, music has been an important part of our culture and lifestyles. Each walk of life beats to a different drum. Different cultures use music for many aspects of their lives; for religious purposes, for celebrations, for comfort, for sorrow, for relaxation, for sports, for dances, for energy, for learning, for sleeping, and for sexual experiences. Everyone uses music for something. Music connects with people and reaches them in ways that words simply cannot. Music is a representation of what feelings sound like. It expresses emotion and brings that characteristic out from within us; it tells us a story. Every generation has its’ own sound and different music styles have emerged and become extremely popular. In the 1950’s Rock n Roll came to the scene and shocked everyone. The new sexual language and sex appealing dance moves had people thinking it was the end of all innocence. Then in the 1980’s Hip Hop Rap became increasingly popular. Many people viewed this new music as stupid and disgusting. It was seen as a ghetto, spoken word, vulgar, type of music. An example of this stereotype is the views of Hip Hop/ Rap through James McBride’s perspective. In James McBride’s essay “Hip Hop Planet” he shares with us his views on hip hop/ rap music and how hard it was for him to appreciate it. Overtime people began to appreciate this new genre of music more. They started realizing that this is not just a bunch of ghetto people cursing and speaking; it has meaning. Hip Hop/ Rap is truly an artistic genre and expression of real talent. This genre of music depicts peoples’ lives, tells us a story, and expresses their emotions. Some songs can be inspirational and can move you in a way that other genre’s cannot. An example of an artist that can convey this in his music is Eminem.…
Hip hop music is usually being targeted as something negative due to misperception. “Some violent imagery and lyrics in popular culture are responded to or perceived differently from others” (Rose,36). Hip hop culture is seen as negative because it is a way for oppressed individuals such as minorities to voice their opinions. There are certain stereotypes attached to African American communities and society always find a way to reinforce those negative stereotypes. Hip hop is being misunderstood because of the culture that it surrounds. Hip hop music is an art that reflects life. Rapper such as Tupac, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and 50 Cent who have been criticized for their lyrics, grew up in the inner city, and their words reflect what they have lived through in their upbringings. Listeners can listen and know they are real, and that the rapper has truly…
With over a billion songs in existence today, it is hard to imagine that anyone has never heard a song before and for most people inspired by at least one of them. There is a big controversy stating that rap music has, and is still influencing our younger generation and to certain amplitude I agree. The jails across America are being filled to capacity over violent confrontations in our streets. Many killings are occurring after bar and nightclub shootings from local gang members using drugs and playing rap music. Some of the music being listened to is introducing children to drugs sex and jail could this be all bad? Surly not! Studying the lyrics to some of your most hated rap songs my just provide you with some of the problems our society faces and the solutions that will help us surmount…
Rap music is a very different genre of music from the rest because it keeps changing its influence among black Americans. From the book by Debra Rosenthal, she defines rap music as an art that is well connected to the African American literature (Rosenthal 661). Rhythm and rhyme are emphasized in the music. On the other hand, melody and harmony are not given much of a priority. From the article, one can get the point that she hates on the music because she states that rap keeps changing the African American slang and refers it as rituals and figures to the black culture. However, I strongly disagree with the conclusion because according to me these black rappers have worked their way up to the top to gain the international recognition. They have also used their prowess in rhyme and rhythm to win their fans. They have taken up the challenge to use the most challenging aspect of music that many other genres do not use. On the point where she has related the rap on only blacks and the way it keeps changing the slang, she misses the point because it is not all the…