Consequences Of Rap Culture

4.1 Newspaper articles

Newspaper articles from various newspapers from the time span between the years of 1997 to 2017 are analyzed and discussed. It is found to be of significance to use articles publicated from a wide range of years as it enables an analysis to be done on how rap culture have been analysed in media over time. The newspaper articles will be analyzed to answer the research question; how has rap culture in the US been analyzed as triggering violence and aggression in newspaper articles. The analysis will be based on the articles’ content, approach and year. The articles will be analyzed in these three different aspects due to its different view that will be connected to the research question and previous studies in this area.

It discusses how rap music might have a different effect than what is commonly believed. It is argued that rap might have a therapeutic effect on its listeners rather than inspire to violence and undesirable behavior. It also speaks of the emergence of rap culture as a reaction to gang culture and violence in marginalized areas. It is explained as a reaction to “daily experiences of poverty, racism, exclusion, crime, violence, and neglect” and that rap culture, in its core, “is built on values of social justice, peace, respect, self-worth, community, and having fun.” The article do not neglect that rap often glorifies drug use and violence and misogynistic ideals. However, it also communicates how important it is to challenge preconceptions about rap culture and to understand that it is a complex and multi-dimensional culture with complicated social and historical

The death of Notorious B.I.G brought relevance to the discussion regarding conflicts of violence in American rap culture with regards to gang culture within urban black American youth culture. Basu explains how violent events and shootings among rap artists give rap culture a bad reputation which receives a lot of medial attention. However, the violent nature which hip-hop at times carries can be consider to be the tip of the iceberg of the deeply rooted social and economical aspects of the rap culture. In the 90’s, when this article was released, hip hop had gained a lot of economic power in the music industry and it is explained how rap music had become a channel for the unprivileged urban youth to take charge over their own situation and tell their side of the story. Music associated and developed in black culture has, since the 30’s, been marketed and sold by white companies. Giving white people, uninvolved with the afro-american culture, the opportunity to make money of cultural expressions that do not belong to them. Unlike all earlier black urban music genres, rap music has given young black Americans the opportunity to gain control over their own situation. Basu states that, "Rap differs in fundamental ways that have profound implications on ownership and control" and continues by saying, later on in the article, that,