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The effects of rap music on youth
Essay on rap music impacts on society
How rap music affects society
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The article by Karen Sternheimer provides some insight into the stats of murder in America. In doing so, the article also highlights some issues with the media today. We learn that the media turned a statistic in way to help themselves instead of properly providing the real statistic. What the media provided was based on a small number of people, but when looked at from a larger pool of people, it can be seen the opposite had occurred (the murder rate had decreased). We also learn that most murder victims are male, specifically, African American males.
Since the rise of hard rock/ heavy metal in the 1980s, many crimes and deaths have been blamed on the bands (or singers). The Parents Music Resource Center plastered Parental Advisory stickers everywhere, and bands defending their music and themselves from the overly protective parents. Hard Rock/ heavy metal is a scapegoat for those who look for a high murder/ suicide rate. In 2009, Metallica’s “Ronnie” was almost considered for a New Jersey man’s reason to kill his own mother and a young boy.
A simple act of violence can genuinely affect an individual's state of mind. Through violence, individuals feel empowered and are tempted to prolong their violent nature. This results in one heinous act, following with worse violence. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier, both authors effectively highlight a theme, that violence will ultimately lead to more violence.
There are other ways that violence can be broadcast. Entertainment such as video games, music, videos, graphic novels and movies, all have an impact on the increasing violence in our generation. Video games can be played by everyone, especially adolescent from the age of 12-17. They can “play video games- on a computer, on consoles such as the Wii, PlayStation and Xbox, or on portable devices such as Gameboys, smartphones and tablets (APA).” Also from video games, music, videos, graphic novel and movies also contain sexual contents, alcoholism or drug addiction, guns, domestic violence, and etc.
Violence is easily seen in today's culture through criminal actions in the media. Surprisingly, "on average, American youth view more than 1,000 murders, rapes, and assaults each year" (Rockefeller 2). This shocking fact demonstrates just how prevalent violence is in the young minds of Americans. As a result of these viewings, young adults are sure to have psychological effects. Studies have proven that "children who view media violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation" (Tompkins 1).
The article “Do Video Games Kill” written by Karen Sternheimer responds to one of the most sought-after question; are video games the cause for “young killers”? (220) Sternheimer believes the influence of video games on today’s youth maybe spiraling out of control. She focuses most of the blame on the media, politicians and the Juvenile Justice System. Sternheimer suggests that there are other factors to blame for violent behavior: poverty, the neighborhood, unemployment, family violence, divorced parents and mental illness (218). While juvenile crimes have declined, and personal backgrounds effect actions, it cannot be proven that video game violence has no to little effect on America’s youth.
Firstly, McBride claims that rappers use violent lyrics as a vehicle to bring about awareness and thus promote social change through use of violence. In a section of the essay, he talks about how rappers have made hip-hop go from something you would hear at a party to something you would hear in a local news report because rappers use violent lyrics in order to talk about the issue in their society and how these issues must be acted upon now so that it can
Rap music is an expression of one’s feelings thorough poetry and instrumental. Although it has gained many accomplishments throughout society, it is still one of the most criticized genres of music. Rap music dose not promote violence; it only depicts the destruction that is happening all over America. Music should not be criticized based on its style. Rap music receives a variety of brutal critic from critics attacking the lyric that rappers use.
I only had a broad idea of the major events in the America’s history, and mostly what covered the English conquerors and settlers as the famous Christopher Columbus. Now I know that there was a big Spanish attempt to conquer lands in America, and the unification of Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella made that happen. There were many different reasons why a European would move to the New World, it could go from religious freedom or to embrace the possibility of a more prosperous life. The 13 colonies and how Virginia grew economically because of tobacco, the alliance between Native Americans and settlers when they needed, are examples of things I did not know when I first started this class. There was a lot of interesting information about Native
Today, the news bombards society with the idea that all police officers are racist. Media such as movies, television, video games, and music puts this concept in the heads of many individuals. A perfect example of a rebellious rap song that conveys this message about police officers is “Fuck the Police” by N.W.A. While the beat of the song might enthuse listeners, the words of the song attack police officers. “Fuck the Police” promotes violence and highly offends police officers through N.W.A.’s word choice and influence on the younger generation.
Along with the creation of music videos, hip-hop’s popularity has soared and changed in many ways. Men and women are depicted in distinct and vivid ways in the media – particularly music videos – that may subconsciously affect our views of the norms of today’s society. That is, catchy songs and glamorous music videos that society thinks are harmless entertainment actually shape our worldview and can cause people to accept false impressions of women (Shrum & Lee, 2012). For example, as Sarnavka (2003) posits, women are victims of violence in society, as well as victims of violence in media (as cited in Bretthauer, Zimmerman, and Banning, 2007).
The African American community has not gained full equality to this day. Even after fighting for many years this present day issue has come to light in Hip-Hop artists songs like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song, White Privilege II. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are respected in their line of work because they have become very popular in today 's Hip-Hop music. Hip-Hop has been the newest way of news being broadcasted. As many artists like Macklemore have become more of an activist in this day and age.
Since the beginning of its creation in 1970 rap music has always been judged. People think of rap in a negative way because of the subjects it normally references. In some cases this is understandable but in most cases it is not. Rap just like any other form of music is a way to express thoughts and feelings that not everyone can relate to but this doesn’t mean individuals should be able to criticize the music and its listeners based off the lyrical content. Rap music has always been an intriguing topic in society.
Do you believe rap music is the cause of violence and hostile behavior in teens? Yes, because it persuades them toward a real negative mindset and lifestyle. The influence it posses on teens is extremely huge plus very misleading. Its lyrics paint images of a life filled with drugs along with guns that teens believe in. As a result of rappers being so influential it makes others easily convinced.
Although many artists write violent songs as an emotional release or as an act, many parents and organizations blame them for causing violent and antisocial behavior in teens and the mentally ill. They suggest that music be censored, or given a warning label as to what an album or song contains. Parents around the world are worried about their children listening to heavy music. They are under the impression that this kind of music is harmful to their child’s