A Negative Assumption Associated With Rap Music In Society
When it comes to “rap music”, many associate it with a number of negative connotation. These negative aspects range from the use of expletives, discriminatory language, and even the promotion of illegal activity. Rap and the culture of hip-hop is a complex art filled with many different points of views and depth. For most, it is a lifestyle and an art. There are many pros and cons associated with rap music, but many believe the pros outweigh the cons. The culture of hip-hop and rap has progressed drastically throughout the years, yet has stayed loyal to its past roots. In our current society, many outsiders to this genre have a negative assumption associated with hip-hop and rap. Their basis is composed of a bias that leads to misunderstanding.
The media has been quick to point fingers towards the artist of rap (also known as rappers) as the main influences of youth violence and illegal activities. However, many who reference rap music as a terrible influence seem to point out the violent lyrics. This assumption causes those aggressors to cloud the purpose rap music portrays. Rap is a genre of music and art. Typically, the style consists of a disc jockey (DJ) and a beat pattern in the background. This goes hand and hand with a rhyming pattern conducted by vocalists.
Rap, just like other genres of music, cannot be comprehended unless the background and social context are studied. The origin of hip-hop was brought up by young, working-class African-Americans. This gave them a separate voice from the discrimination of other races. It grew in popularity and commercialized the hip hop brand globally.
In the early years of hip hop, the group called the N. W. A was established in the late 1980s. Hip hop moguls such as N. W. A led to present day groups such as A$AP Mob which shows the contrast and changes made throughout the years. The evolution of hip hop has gone through many obstacles to get to where it is today. Rap music all started in the southern portions of the Bronx, New York in 1970s. Disco was very popular in the 1970s, when rap and the hip hop culture became part of the equation, many did not appeal to the new genre. They did not understand the concept of rap. For example, the purpose of disco was to have fun and play it in the clubs. Rap had a different purpose, many comprehended the concept and embraced it as poetry or literature. At the time of it's beginning, there were not several layers involved in the genre of rap.
N. W. A was one of the most revolutionary groups that paved the way to allow future artists the ability to create a positive change. They understood the importance of the platform they were on and how detrimental it was to young kids. Even further, they realized how influential they were to those who listened to their music. The effectiveness N. W. A had with the type of music led to their success in the industry. Their rise to stardom was not an overnight process. They lived in a time where racial discrimination was a problem in the country. During this time, police brutality was a severe issue. With cases like the Stephen King incident, N. W. A knew they were facing immense adversity. The incident that happened with Stephen King was that he was unjustly beat by multiple police officers and N. W. A. felt they were a big enough group, with a sizeable fanbase, to express how they felt through there lyrics and stage performances. They expressed how they may be portrayed as “thugs or gangsters” but they were showcasing how they felt in a manner of their own personal experience when facing discrimination by police and the government. In an article by Gerrick Kennedy in the LA Times, he gives an accurate portrayal of how the atmosphere was at the time by stating “The world hadn’t heard anything like it before. Radio stations and MTV refused to add the title song to their playlists. ” it was something different that people were not used to. They believed once they got over the hump and went through the struggle, it would pay off eventually. They received multiple threats by the police and government. The threats were targeted to make N. W. A. stop what they were expressing to young kids and their fan base. In the article Kennedy wrote, he expressed the obstacles that they had to push through to achieve their long term goal “Critics didn’t get it, couldn’t see past the language, or, worse, refused to acknowledge it as music. Politicians even launched attacks, working to great lengths to condemn the music and its creators. ” Kennedy paints the picture of how it was not an easy route for N. W. A. to get their word across without any reprimand.
This act of demanding justice by N. W. A. was a trademark in the culture of rap and hip hop. It helped others embrace their platforms in a positive light in order to make an impact on the way society lives or thinks about racial issues. Other artists like Tupac Shakur and Wu-Tang clan were not afraid of showcasing what they believe in. The group Wu-Tang Clan is a group of 9 members, they felt society was so close-minded. Especially on the specific idea that money is the answer to all of our problems. They believed money was also the root of all evil and showcased their beliefs by releasing a track named C. R. E. A. M. which stands for “Cash Rules Everything Around Me”. This has progressed all throughout history in different ways.
Rap and the hip hop culture has evolved tremendously from when it has first began. It has gone through many phases, many of which have made a positive change in society. Rappers in the past understood how much of an influence they were to their listeners and fan base. For example, Tupac Shakur made a push for positive change by making song called “Brenda’s Got a Baby” about a single mother taking care of her child. The song was focused on fathers being role models and staying in their children’s life. I'm addition, he emphasized how important it was to teach young women how important they are and how much of a responsibility it is to have a child (Tupac Shakur’s). These are few examples of how rappers have chosen to use their platform to their advantage and speak out on something they believe in.
Politics and rap/hip hop culture have always had an effect on each other and sometimes run into problems between the two. Some believe rap is giving young listeners, who are fans of the art, a bad opinion and take on politics. Others believe they are giving them false information and are not informing fans the correct information about these issues. Rappers believed they are stating their opinions on topics they believe need to be changed or improved.
The culture of hip hop and rap are a huge influence to young listeners who are just growing up and trying to understand what they want to pursue in life. Some believe, rap can have a vital negative influence in the way they establish themselves in society. In the genre of rap, there are different types and layers. Some rappers use their platform for rapping about money, women and clothes. While other rappers use their voices to issue the relative activities of society. The ones who do not support rap music and the culture of hip hop, seem to focus on the negativity. Breaking down other genres of music, can exhibit negative influences as well, that others can expose.
Fans of rap are able to pick out what they decide to listen to and what not to listen to. Rap music that is viewed as negative can be given someone an assumption of developing a bad personality. Professor Travis Dixon studies how stereotype influence and affect audiences of media content. He explains in an article how people are listening to this genre of music and believing every lyrics. He states “It is not considered moral to degrade women, threaten to kill people, or fire vicious insults, all of which are common in gangster rap. ” Dixon has a great point. A rapper that goes by the name Future, known for rapping about the luxury lifestyle of money, women and drugs. In an interview with Clique he explains his point of view “I’m not like super drugged out or [a] drug addict. My music may portray a certain kind of image and I know it’s some people that might be super drugged out and they listen to the music like, ‘Ay thank you, you speaking for me’ and then some people that’s not [super drugged out] that feel like, “Man I don’t have to do drugs, I can listen to Future and feel like I’m on something’ and don’t have to try [drugs]. I don’t do it for you to really have to live that type of life. ” He explains that everyone views music on their own perspective but is not promoting the action that he sings.
For those who do not enjoy Future’s type of rap, the beauty of rap is how every artist is different, there are other classes of rap. For example, rappers like Jermaine Cole and Kendrick Lamar, have used their voices to express their views on society. In Cole’s song “Photograph”, he portrays how social media has had a negative impact on the world. He verbalizes it in one of his verses, “ Love today’s gone digital and it’s messing with my health”, explaining how people are able to fall in love with a picture without even knowing anything about someone but basing it off of one’s social media account.
Kendrick Lamar released a song titled, “How Much a Dollar Really Cost” his opening lyric to the song is “How much a dollar really cost? The question is detrimental, paralyzing my thoughts. Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling. ” Kendrick explains the symbolism of a dollar bill. Many view it as state of currency, while Kendrick showcases a deeper interpretation behind it. In an article by Andrew Ferruzza, he goes into a deeper explanation of the song. Andrew explains how a beggar asks for a dollar nothing less and nothing more, for some they are wondering why Kendrick, a multi millionaire cannot spare a dollar to someone who is in need of it much more than him. Kendrick breaks down his thought process and helps his listeners visualize his situation. Kendrick explains how he was in the same situation a couple years ago and no one gave him a boost or a favor in helping him become successful. However, the beggar is expected to receive a dollar from him, that he didn’t work for.
Individual perspectives have played a key role on how many people view the genre of rap. Rapping and hip-hop culture has caused more positive changes to American civilization at large, than negative features, that many have associated it with. As referenced earlier, we see more influential artist using the genre for the great good, rather than the spread of negativity. In the end, rap has a negative stereotype that is based off of people not understanding the true aspects of and basing their knowledge of such little information by the media or misinterpretations. There are many examples of rap having a huge impact on society in a positive way, it has an impact globally and on the way some people choose to live their life. As expressed before there are many doubters who believe there is too much negative influence being produced in rap but rappers like Tupac, Kendrick and many more have proved to be a positive influence and showcase the different beauties of the genre of rap music and the culture surrounding it.
Sources
- “Npr”, Tupac Shakur's Legacy, 20 Years, 13 Sep. 2016, https://www. npr. org/2016/09/13/493671606/tupac-shakurs-legacy-20-years-on
- Khari, FUTURE SAYS HE’S NOT REALLY AN ADDICT, RAPS ABOUT DRUGS BECAUSE IT’S “A CATCH”, 16 Jan. 2016, http://thesource. com/2016/01/16/future-says-hes-not-really-an-addict-raps-about-drugs-because-its-a-catch/
- Fredrick Price, “Why Listening to Rap and Hip Hop is Good”, 9 Jul. 2017 http://www. santacruznext. org/why-listening-to-rap-and-hip-hop-is-good/
- Tristan Pelton, “Rap/HipHop”, 16 Jun. 2007 https://www. blackpast. org/african-american-history/rap-hip-hop/
- Kennedy, Gerrick D. 'The Moment N. W. A Changed the Music World. ' Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 09 Dec. 2017, https://www. latimes. com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-nwa-parental-discretion-20171205-htmlstory. html
- Brody Kenny, “Still Sets The Gold Standard”, 17 Nov. 2018, https://consequenceofsound. net/2018/11/classic-album-review-wu-tang-clan-enter-the-wu-tang-36-chambers/
- Andrew Ferruzza, Kendrick Lamar, “How Much a Dollar Cost”: The Definition of Compassion, 12 Feb. 2018, https://you. stonybrook. edu/aferruzza/2018/02/12/kendrick-lamar-how-much-a-dollar-cost-the-definition-of-compassion-by-andrew-ferruzza/
