Hip hop has been a very controversial topic in American society. I plan to discuss the positive and negative impact that hip hop and its artist have on today’s society. This topic has been argued over many years, and still remains a very touchy subject amongst many people. Weather discussing race, stereotypes, misconceptions, lyrical content, or the social behaviors of hip hop artist, there will always be room for debate. The merits of hip hop are often under question, and the negativity that surrounds it does not help its cause. While hip hop and its artist have both a negative and positive effects on today’s society, the positives outweigh the negatives. Hip hop and its artist have many misconceptions associated with them, and one of the biggest misconceptions about the artist is that they were all once criminals. As popular as this belief may be in some social circles it simply is not true. Grant it, there are negative events involved with hip hop and the artist, but to judge hip hop as a whole based on a few incidents is stereotypical and simply not right. Lyrical content may be to blame for certain stereotypes. What I want people to realize is hip hop is a form of entertainment and should be viewed as such. Everything said in a hip hop song should not be taken literally. More often than not the lyrical content represents past behaviors and not current or future endeavors. The fact that they are doing something positive should be proof enough that they do not condone a life of crime. Not only do they not condone a life of crime but they have created many programs, aimed at inner-city kids, preaching a different way of life. When you view hip hop as a whole, a logical and practical person can see through the stereotypes that are placed upon hip hop. In today’s society are youth accounts for a large number of our population and hip hop is very