People may argue that rap music is sending youth in the wrong direction with the sexual and violent lyrics. But, not many know that hip hop/rap music is being used as a therapeutic practice for "high-risk clients." It's called Hip Hop Social Work. It may seem like hip hop and social work wouldn't go together at all, but Lauren Collins, a therapist who has an MSW from Hunter College's Graduate School of Social Work. Collins says, "Hip hop provides a comfortable forum for honest self-examination while helping participants find their way along the path to personal growth." Even though hip hop and rap music is said to be ruining young people's minds and lifestyles, it's also helping people who need that way of expression.
The Seattle Times tells how Fans turn away from rap's violence. Are record sales declining because the public is tired of nasty lyrics? It's possible that parents are tired of their children listening rhymes that make no sense but to set them on the wrong path. Also, how many times can you rap about drugs before it gets old?
Many social disturbings are being blamed on rappers and their songs, as well. Jason Whitlock wrote on AOL that the disruption at the NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas should give the blame to "hip hop hoodlums". He proceeded to say that the game should be moved out of country for a couple years, to keep the "hoodlums" out and let them find another gathering to ruin. David Banner, a famous rapper with the hit "Like a Pimp," argues that this is the type of music America wants to hear. Should we allow that to be an excuse: America wants to hear about cocaine, weed, sexual addictions, alcohol, and killings. Or is it just that young Americans are hearing it only because that's what "makes them cool."
What makes rap music so cool is not the fact that it has nasty lyrics, but that the beats are different then any other type of music. It doesn’t matter what a rapper raps about, if the beat is amazing then the song will be amazing. In the 1990’s Will Smith, the Fresh Prince, came out with rap songs not about drugs and sex, but about clean things like family. These songs all made it to the tops of the charts and Will Smith is now known as one of the best rappers of the 90’s. This is just one example of how rap can be cool and clean at the same time. Rappers with this mindset that they have to be “hard” to be popular is crap.
ReplyDeleteWhat draws people to rap music is the profanity of the lyric's. People like the thrill of the "Stories" embeded inside of the lyrics of the songs. Trully not all rap songs consist of negativity, some of them speak the truth about what trully goes on in the poverished neighborhoods. But on the other hand listeners think its cool to be bad, so kids follow suit. We can't put the blame completly on the children because as parents they need to stand up and teach their kids just because they hear it and see it in the videos they dont need to act it out. As far as hip hop being theroputic i find that throughly intersting.
ReplyDeleteTHe days of good sensual music is slowly declining. People are now more geared to the profanity used in music now. Being that I am a teenager, I can realte to why this type of music connects than the slow music of the earlier decades. It makes you feel cooler, and it makes you believe that you are a gangster at heart. With most teens beleiving this, it has caused many of them to get hurt, and turn to unnecessary violence. It isn't the all the children's fault, people have to put the blame on the parents also. Children at young age shouldn't be listening to anything dealing with drugs and sex. It seems now that society doesn't care about that though, and the good music is slowly phasing out, and because of it violence and underage sex will steadily increase.
ReplyDeleteMany songs and lyrics today do deal with the violence, sex, and drugs. But also in those same songs are stories of artist’s childhoods and their hard times growing up, which draws many listeners who have also suffered these same kind of pastimes. How many of Eminem’s earlier songs dealt with his childhood and his mom? How many of his recent songs deal with his daughter’s childhood and what they’re going through now? The answer to both questions is very often. Audiences everywhere love this kind of music because they have similar, if not worse, stories and that makes them feel a sense of support and understanding from an infamous celebrity.
ReplyDeleteAlso, are children and teens really going out and shooting people because of a song they heard? That is highly doubtful. Music doesn’t make people violent; people’s minds make them violent. A song or an artist shouldn’t be blamed for the “hoodlum” behavior of people either; it is just a ridiculous idea. Many avid music listeners, like myself, understand this and know that just because we hear something on the radio doesn’t mean that that’s the thing to do. Because of the people like us, hip hop will never die and it will continue to be as strong as ever.
Your title caught my attention and as a hip hop fan I was intrigued. Rap is popular, not because of the nasty lyrics or the drug references, but because the music is real. It talks about real issues and many people feel that they can relate. They don't want to hear the sugar coated pop music coming on the radio today. They prefer a legitimate story no matter what the content be. At least the music depicts real events and emmotions. I understand some people being offended by the words, but they aren't being forced to listen to it. If you don't like it don't buy it. It is obvious that the music is popular due to the record sales. Hip hop isn't going anywhere.
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