Research Paper
Does Rap Music Negatively Influences Young People?
Rap music is type of music combine musical genre and culture. It became popular in New York City in the 1970s. It is a significant American cultural movement. People enjoyed it as a daily activity. Now it still very popular, and influences people. Famous artists include DJ Kool Herc, Marley Marl, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Moe Dee Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Eminem,. Young people like to imitate artists behavior and songs. But sometime young people will learn the wrong thing from their song. Some Rap music lyrics include violence, pornography, drugs, and discrimination. It influences young people and effect their lives.
Many people listen a lot of Rap music include gold and money. But that’s not the real main culture of Rap music. People misunderstand about rap music. This impression makes young people got the wrong idea about Rap music. It makes young people think about they can be a rapper. It’s not true and makes young people had a bad attitudes towards spending and saving. For example, 50 cent “I Get Money”,
I took quarter water sold it in bottles for 2 bucks
Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the fuck?
Have a baby by me baby, be a millionaire
I write the check before the baby comes, who the fuck cares?
I'm stanky rich, I'mma die trying to spend this shit
Ambrose Leung and Cheryl Kier used data collected to learn the result how young people spend money, “Results revealed that participants who listened to hip-hop, rap, rhythm and blues, dance, house, electronic, industrial, techno and trance (many are anti-authority types of music) reported a tendency to spend money.”(Music preferences and young people's attitudes towards spending and saving) Young people should have self-control. They should learn how to use money in a responsible way and not waste any money. Spend money impulsively is not a good habit, rap music is a bad influence to young people.
Many rapper write the violent Rap lyrics to express their feelings. But they don’t realize it negatively influence young people. The violent Rap lyrics make young people become violent.(“Rap music and culture.”) Teenagers enjoy the violent Rap music and listen it everyday. Teenagers think they can do what the violent Rap lyrics say. They become violent and bully other teenagers. They don’t use brain to think before they do the wrong thing because they think the violent Rap music lyrics are right and they were right. For example, Eminem’s song “Kim”. His lyrics are violent and bloodiness. For example“If you move again I'll beat the shit out of you” and “She panics and he gets his throat cut.” Young people should not listen to this type Rap music when they can’t have self-control and mature thinking. Rapper should not write too much violent lyrics because it negatively influences young people. It make young people become violent.
Young people should not behavior sexual too early. It’s not healthy to their body and their thought. However many rapper write the sexual lyrics and use sexualized images in their album and their music video invite young beautiful girls and do some sexy behavior. Jackson said, “the more time African American adolescents spent watching the sexualized images in in Hip Hop videos, the more likely they were to engage in sexually risky behavior themselves and endorse it in their peers.”In David Banner’s song “Play”, he sings“Cum girl, I'm tryna get your pussy wet Work that, lemme see you drip sweat.” He uses sexual words in this song and I think is not good for young people. I think this type sexual Rap music increases rape rate because sexual rap music make young people have the urge to have sex. For example, if young boy can’t find a girl, then he might rape the girl.That’s why I think sexual rap music increase rape rate. Also this is crime. Luke Morgan Britton said, “a significant crime drop between 1993 and 1995 is easily seen while crimes mentioned in rap lyrics are steadily increasing.” It point out rap music lyrics effect young people commit action and made young people crimes. It’s a huge negatively influences to young people. I think rappers should reduce this type music because it is harmful to young people and society.
People have different opinion about drugs. I think drugs are harmful to society and it is dangerous to people. Now, some rappers write music include drugs. It might be let many young people first time heard about the drugs. Tanya said, “it emphasize recreational drug use by rappers and incorporation of drug-related themes into Houston rap songs.” Rappers should not put drugs in their songs. Drugs are illegal and it is not good to people’s body. But if rappers put it in their song, it might let many people want to try to use drugs because their favorite rapper’s song include drugs and also rappers seems enjoy the drugs. In Hollywood Undead’s song “Street Dream”, “I know that I'm breathing slow, inhaling smoke, I just awoke.A bottle of pills I'm chokin' down, with dancin' demons all around.” Rappers was using the drug. Robert Preidt said, “Between 1979 and 1997, references to drugs increased sixfold, and there was an increase in songs featuring positive attitudes toward drugs and the consequences of drug use, and an increase in references of drug use to signify glamour, wealth and sociability.” Rap music glorifying drug use. It negatively influences young people.
Discrimination always exist, but it is seldom exist in the song. And now, some rappers write the lyrics to discriminate females. It’s a severe problem. It make audience, especially young people accept this wrong opinion. In N.W,A song “One less bitch”, he sings“A fool is one who believes that all women are ladies, A nigga is one who believes that all ladies are bitches, And all bitches are created equal. To me, all bitches are the same’. We should respect each other and love each other. People are equal and no hierarchy. Lauren Brown said, “One of the biggest negative impacts that rap music has on teenagers is the degradation of females. In the majority of popular rap songs, females are depicted as sexual objects, untrustworthy, and dependent on men.” It’s discriminate females. They think women can’t live without man. It’s wrong. In the 21st century, women are strong and do not need to depend on man. People should change their mind. But rappers still write the discriminate female lyrics and it is not wise. It only prove that rappers are stupid and hatefully person. Young people should not accept knowledge from this type of song.
In the other hand, rap music still have positive influences in many ways. Rap music have a huge commercial value. It can produce many money. Also it can provide many jobs. Even though it can produce many money, it still can’t conceal rap music negatively influences young people. Money can’t buy young people’s future and good morality.
In conclusion, Rap music make the bad influences to young people. Rapper wrote the negative lyrics for the song. Maybe it is kind of success for them, but they don’t realize their rap music was making the bad influences to young people. Maybe people will say, young people stop listen the rap music then will not make the bad influence to young people. It’s Rap music make the mistake. They should try to fix it. Try to make everyone can enjoy the real Rap music. Rap music should make young people accept the positive knowledge.