...Rap/Hip-Hop: The Effects on Today’s Youth Brenda L. Williams-Capers Columbia Southern University English Composition II Professor Dana Taylor December 11, 2011 Abstract Rap/Hip-Hop first became popular among African American and Latinos among youth in the streets of New York during the 1970’s. It was their way of expressing themselves in a friendly manner in the form of speech, fashion, and personal style. Rap/Hip-Hop music was a way for them to get their message out, by telling stories of their lifestyles. However, over the years Rap/Hip-Hop music has become much more popular for its explicit lyrics, reference of drugs, alcohol and sexual explicit videos. Many may ask “Could Rap/Hip-Hop music have a negative influence on today’s youth, because of its unhealthy messages”? This research paper will examine the effects of rap/hip-hop music on today’s youth and whether or not it has a negative influence. Brenda L. Williams-Capers Professor Dana Taylor English Composition II December 11, 2011 Over the year’s many researchers have conducted studies on the effects of rap/hip-hop on today’s youth. The results have been mixed; however there are indications that some forms of Rap/Hip-Hop music could have negative influence on today’s youth. This is due to the fact that youth start to adapt the negative aspects of the gangster rap, by displaying aggressive behaviors and committing crimes of violence. Rap gets a bad rap because some songs contain explicit lyrics...
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...Florida Memorial University Introduction The Growth of Hip Hop in America As hip hop continues to grow into a major aspect of the modern African American culture, the studies intend to distinguish the mass outlook of black people in America. It is incredible that this single genre of music has transformed into a vital communication mechanism for an entire race and may even become larger in future generations of African American people. The other races, in America, have gotten an idea of African Americans through the controversial rap music in which black people use to communicate with each other, and outsiders; the non-blacks. The study revolves mainly around the attitudes which have deemed as common in the black culture; rap music has always been open for interpretation which can lead to danger. The music has become so popular and influential to the youth that many crimes have been linked to the music which fuels an efficient form controversy in America. Do people receive the negative aspects of rap more than the positive aspects? If so, then why? Also, why are the positive approaches of hip hop not made commercial rather than the sex, drugs, and violence? There is belief that the music has a great influence on how the other races in America view the black culture. It is not certain whether rap music is more negative than positive, but it is obviously a notorious topic for many reasons, no matter the race. The studies propose that the behavior of blacks in America is greatly...
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...Culture Wars Culture wars; there have always been a variety of music to listen to such as Country, Pop, Latin, Hip Hop and Rap. The meaning of culture wars to me is people who dislike a certain genre for instance rap music. Some people are against rap music because of the controversial meaning that songs have. In this paper you will be reading on an interview for Foxx 11 news with O’reily interviewing rap icon Cameron and CEO producer Damon Dash. Principal Salome Thomas-EL asked a couple of questions stating that gangster music is a terrorizing impact on his students, On my opinion you can never tell a rapper they have a negative effect on the youth. It’s their work and their art and what they do as a musician. For example when you hear the stories of kids shooting up a school, was it the rap music they listen to? No, it is the parent’s responsibility to moderate what their kids listen to, it’s wrong for people to blame rappers for the actions that people make. O’reily interviewed rap icon Cameron and CEO producer Damon Dash. During this interview there was also a principal from an elementary school who had questions for the rap stars. The principal complained that the kids at his school look up to the rap star and he thinks Cameron is showing a bad example. He confronted Cameron asking him why his music is so negative when there are little kids listening to his music. Cameron replied that his music is just what he see’s and what he goes through as a person. ...
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...Hip-hop culture is everywhere. The culture, which encompasses rapping, deejaying, break-dancing and graffiti-writing, has become so popular that it has entered mainstream fashion and modern language. It doesn't stop there. The culture permeates everything from TV commercials to toys to video games. Currently, there is even a hip-hop exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. You name it, and hip hop is there representing. However, hip hop's most potent form is its rap music--embraced by urban Blacks and suburban Whites alike. It is raw self-expression that sometimes features profane lyrics, misogyny and violence. The music, along with rap videos that often present a disturbing mix of rap, hip-hop dance styles, fashion and language, leave many people asking: Is hip-hop culture harming our youth" "The hip-hop culture is just like electricity," civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton told JET. "It can be used negatively or positively. The same electric current that lights up your house can also electrocute you. It is the misuse of hip-hop culture to attack our women and promote violence. We must encourage the proper use of hip-hop culture. We are all influenced by the hip-hop generation." Sharpton, who recently hosted a special summit on social responsibility in the hip-hop industry, labeled gangsta rappers "well-paid slaves." Advertisement "Don't let some record executive tell you that cursing out your mama is in style. Anytime...
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...Hip-hop culture developed during the seventies. Throughout its formation, the various elements were at some time or another, deemed unacceptable. Graffiti artists faced jail sentences, break dancing became illegal in some areas, and rap music has been severely criticized for various reasons. These elements were never analyzed in an oppositional manner until recently, however. Hip-hop culture represented the claiming of urban communities by the residents. Writers decorated the empty walls of their communities in an attempt to personalize their surroundings. They also painted trains, which traveled to other communities, and in this sense they developed a living and moving art form. Break dancing claimed space simply because it utilized community space for the performance of a culture specific dance form. Finally, DJing and MCing claimed public space because the main stage for performance was often local parks where they would throw parties for the community. ?The power was supplied by the city unknowingly as community members discovered ways in which they could tap into the city's power boxes at no expense to themselves? (Shomari, 45). Therefore, the development of hip-hop culture was inherently oppositional. Rap music now viewed as an area for political debate by many, did not begin with this in mind. Rap music was developed by DJs, who used two of the same records and looped the break beats of the record, which then allowed the beat to be extended infinitely. They also used...
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...unapologetic attitude, rap music is the voice of urban culture. Rap music gives people the confidence to do and say how they feel. It pushes boundaries, even in uncomfortable situations. It expresses the harsh reality in urban and rural cities in such a artistic and realistic way. It is not just about the energetic instrumentals or the catchy metaphors , it’s about the content. Rap music touches on subjects like politics, sexual exploits, and personal uniqueness. It is considered to be the perfect example of postmodern music. It’s affect on American culture is phenomenal. Rap is not just a genre of music, it is a lifestyle. From the clothes people wear, to the way people talk, rap is more than the...
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...Portrayal of Women in Rap and Music Videos :: 4 Works Cited Length: 1724 words (4.9 double-spaced pages) Rating: Blue Price: $24.95 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Misogyny and degradation of women is present in almost every genre of music, yet the one genre that completely revolves around demeaning women is rap. Over the years rap and rap music videos have continually become more sexual and degrading towards women. Rap has been criticized numerous times for this reason, and that is because rap is one of the most popular genres of music for the younger generations. It is more than a genre of music, it is a complete industry filled with clothing and other merchandise. The reason this constant demeaning of women exists is because rap as a genre that rewards the objectification of women. The excuses used to justify the misogyny in rap are incomplete and lack accurate support. The most effective way for this continuous cycle ends, is if the fight and protest comes from the women themselves. Men are the problem in the objectification of women but in order for it to stop, women need to step up and take control of the situation. Women need to act sooner rather than later because in recent years the rap industry has become more and more sexual. Ra... ... middle of paper ... ...Society 113 (2000): 255-69. JSTOR. 29 November 2009 . McLune, Jennifer. "Hip-Hop's Betrayal of Black Women." Perspective on Contemporary Issues. 5th...
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...Research Project ‘Does Hip-Hop have a negative influence on young people?’ Introduction This research project will explore the impact that hip-hop culture has on young people in society today. From examining current literature and conducting a quantitative study the project will aim to answer the question ‘does hip hop have a negative influence on young people?’ There has been lots of controversy surrounding this subject in recent years. Some say hip-hop is responsible for the rise in youth violence whilst others say hip-hop is just an accurate representation of a violent society. This paper will give an insight into what young people in the Teesside area who live and breathe this popular culture think. Action Plan Project Management Plan Research Project | | Timeline | Start | Finish | Weeks Needed | Task number | Task detail | | 1 | Agree Topic with supervisor | On-going | 2 | Literature review | 15/01/2015 | 05/02/2015 | 3 weeks | 3 | Decide on research design | 20/01/2015 | 27/01/2015 | 1 week | 4 | Develop Data Collection Tools | 06/02/2015 | 20/02/2015 | 2 weeks | 5 | Distribute/Conduct Data Collection Tools | 23/02/2015 | 02/03/2015 | 2 weeks | 6 | Collect and Analyse Data | 02/03/2015 | 16/03/2015 | 2 weeks | 7 | Draw conclusions | 16/03/2015 | 30/03/2015 | 2 weeks | 8 | Write Report | 20/03/2015 | 15/04/2015 | 3 weeks | Sources Both primary and secondary sources of research will be undertaken throughout this project. The...
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...Introduction American culture, being traditionally perceived as quite liberal and democratic, is in fact paralyzed by the overwhelming power of stereotypes which shape the current image of culture at large and its industries, including music, in particular. Even the most innovative and advanced movements’ turn to be submitted to the canons of the ideology that dominates in American culture. Unfortunately, such a situation does not contribute to the development of really free, liberal and focused on spiritual, moral and intellectual progress of the consumers of the culture. Probably one of the most interesting, new and, unfortunately, typical example of the domination of stereotypes in American culture is the development of female black rap music, which has become particularly intensive in 1980s and is still quite dynamically developing. At first glance black female rap music should be free from traditional stereotypes, it should be innovative and contributing to black female emancipation and increasing the role of black females in the society at large but, in actuality, the situation is absolutely different. Despite the fact that many female rappers pretend to be unique at developing the new image of a free and independent black female, it turns to be that practically all of them, or at least the most popular of them, are ideologically dependent on the male dominance in proper and figurative sense of this word. It means that as a rule black female rappers tend to create an...
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...society, the genres of rap and R&B are one of the most popular forms of music. Conversely, the ideas and lyrics of many songs fall into these genres tend to be violent, offensive, vulgar and sexist. We can see that sexism in rap music is apparent through the negative portrayal of women found in both the lyrics and music videos. This is an important issue because rap is so popularized today that these negative depictions of women, especially African American women, is potentially giving its viewers the idea that it is acceptable to treat women in such demeaning ways. Most of the time, we do not comprehend the message that is being sent through songs we listen to. We as society need to become more conscious of the music we listen to. Over the years, rap and rap music videos have repetitively become more and more sexual and degrading towards women. Rap has been criticized various times for this reason. The excuses used to justify the misogyny in rap are inadequate and lack accurate support. The most effective way for this continuous cycle to end is if the fight and protest comes from the women themselves. Men are the problem in the objectification of women but in order for it to stop, women need to step up and take control of the situation. Misogyny and degradation of women does exist in almost every genre of music, yet the Elmhorst 2 one genre that completely revolves around belittling women is rap. The topic of women being negatively portrayed in rap music is a topic that...
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...Rap music contributes to violent crime due the offensive statements on its lyrics. Most of its songs contribute to women’s devaluation thorough stereotype, discrimination and illustrating them as objects. As a matter of fact, rap music is supported by this society throughout the use of languages that devalued women and by treating women’s bodies as objects. Tran R. (2016) argues, since childhood men are taught to see women as objects, but they are people with feelings, wants, and needs. Also, men are taught how to be a proper man and that women are weak, which make them feel superior than women. These are the principal factors that cause the violence against women, which creates indifference regarding women’s rights and safety. From a long...
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...Rap lyrics and its influence Many rap lyrics glorify violence and guns. Every lyric can affect us in its own way, either it is positive or negative. Many US citizens think rap lyrics should be forbidden, because the lyrics are about topics that can affect us to take catastrophically choices. There are hundred points of views around this, but is it right to deny people to listen to what they want? The latest years there have been several shooting situations in American schools where teenagers have shot teachers and fellow students. This can have a connection with the lyrics in raps. Tupac, Dr. Dre and Eminem are some rappers who are writing about violence. Some of their lyrics are called “Hit Em Up”, “Ni**a witta gun” and “One Shot 2 Shot”. These rappers are very popular among teenagers. Rappers often have opinions about violence and guns that invite people to use guns as self-defence. This is one reason rap lyrics glorifying violence should be forbidden. Five percent of the teenage population in the US bring weapons to school. Rappers encourage wearing weapons because you never know what is going to happen and who you are meeting around the corner. Even though this is true, I think it is paranoid thinking that it always is a chance to be killed or beaten up. I think everybody needs to see more from different perspectives. US citizens who think rap lyrics that glorify violence should be forbidden need to see what rap listeners are missing when they are not listening...
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...Imagine living in a Puritan society 330 years ago. Religious zeal and devotion are the basis of the community. Ministers and pastors promote male supremacy and women are looked down upon. The fundamental rule in society is to follow God’s law and obey His commandments. Harsh, remorseless punishment is inflicted on those who stray from God’s laws. Now compare the Puritan society to today’s society. The American culture is ruled by momentary yet popular trends. Colored skinny jeans, snap-backs, unnecessary fashion glasses and neon clothing can be seen almost anywhere on the street (Lutz). Also modern culture has astronomically altered social norms. Women used to be the ideal caretaker of innocence and purity, but now women dress in revealing clothing and are preyed on by the indecent society. Proper mannerisms have vanished and young people have become straightforward and sometimes even rude. Respect for elders and wisdom has dwindled (The Revolution in Manners and Morals). What is the cause of this cultural shift? In Boston during 1684, a group of strict Puritan religious leaders wrote a letter to the community addressing the issue of dancing. Men could dance together and women could dance together, which was viewed as a natural expression of joy. Also children could dance with their parents’ permission. However if a male and female danced together it was seen as an inexcusable sin before God (An Arrow Against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing). Puritan religious leaders warned...
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...“Walk This Way” to “The Show Goes On”: The Progression of Rap Compared to other genres of music, rap is considered to be pretty new. Rap, or hip-hop, is constantly evolving, as do other types of music. Rap is simply described as, “talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat” (Hip Hop). When rap was getting started, it only consisted of DJs mixing some beats together along with beat boxing and sampling other songs. As the years went on, people decided to rap over the beats and create a perfect rap song. Some rappers are lyrical geniuses, while others make music purely for a good party song. The radio does not do a good job of playing a variety of rap, now a days mainstream rap that is only good for dancing is being played on the radio. Mainstream rap, to some, would not be considered good music purely because the lyrics are extremely basic. Artists like Run-DMC first started the phenomena, Tupac and Biggie Smalls made rap extremely popular, and present day rappers like Lupe Fiasco keep advancing the music. Run-DMC was not the first rapper to start, but he is a big reason why rap is so popular today. Run-DMC was a hip-hop group located in Queens, New York, and is widely known to be the most influential acts in the history of the hip-hop culture. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album, and to be nominated to the Grammy Awards. In 1982, Run-DMC released “Sucker MCs” which was a huge hit. Allison Smith illustrates, “This blast of rhythmic minimalism...
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...The Game Shall Always Remain the Same: Hip-Hop from a Protagonist’s Point of View The Hip-Hop culture and all it stands for has saturated a generation in an unprecedented way. It has begun to shape and unify a diverse population of people. Hip-Hop, for many, provides an outlet to express your thoughts and for others, Hip-Hop is a lifestyle. The influence of Hip-Hop has become universal. It has transcended from a cultural genre to having a larger audience not made up of solely African Americans. It has gone from the slums, to the suburbs, and into larger corporate rooms. McDonald’s, Addidas, Nike, Coca Cola, Sprite, and other corporate giants have capitalized on this phenomenon. Although critics of Rap music and the Hip-Hop culture seemed to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language Hip- Hop has potential to unify individuals and promote change. This genre of music has transformed generations across the country. Hip- Hop possesses a level of maturity and a sense of cultural belongingness that has become a protest form for people all over the world. The art form, now simply known as Hip- Hop, began with three New Yorkers: Busy Bee Starski, DJ Hollywood, and DJ Afrika Bambaataa; they are credited for creating the term Hip-Hop. It all began in the early 1970’s with house parties and basement beat shaking music in upstate New York. The beats were very melodic, Africanized, and soulful. Hip-Hop is music for...
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