Sex, money, drugs and violence. When you hear those four words, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Many people would say they think of rap or hip hop. Today, rap music is constantly mistaken for valuing the destruction of communities by promoting images of “the thug life”. However, the hip hop culture can have a positive impact on society. What many people seem to miss is that the culture is meant to express and not repress. Generally speaking, talent is a key importance in rapping. However, the power to address viewers of ethical conflicts in our environment through music should be considered more important than talent. Artists such as Tupac Shakur use music to educate his audience of the specific cultural barriers which negatively impact black communities. In addition, Dr. Dre was influenced by Tupac and began to inspire other artists, such as Nas. These three rappers used their music as a positive influence by teaching their audience that only they can make the world a better place. …show more content…
Though there are quite a few songs based on hatred and anger, songs such as “i” by Kendrick Lamar and “Love Yourz” by J. Cole teach viewers to love themselves despite all the negativity in the world. As for songs regarding sexually exploiting women, there are songs that speak out against this as well. Queen Latifah’s “U.N.I.T.Y” is the perfect example of a feminist rap song, saying “I’m not your personal whore, that’s not what I’m here for”. These songs prove that there is positivity in the hip hop