Response 2:The Effects of Rap Music on Today's Youth.

Andy Sheriff

Persuasive Writing 001

23 September 2008

Response assignment #2

The urban youth of today are highly influenced by the lyrics of the music they listen to. This music can be narrowed down to today’s version of hip-hop, or more commonly called rap. The youth are influenced by the lyrics and want to be like the rappers and live their lifestyle. What do these artists specifically talk about that want the youth to act this way? Most rap artists today produce the images drug abuse, prostitution, money, and other topics such as drug dealing. What can be done by parents to stop this widespread urge in youth to become an idol to others? The fact is that with our constitution, not much can be done due to our freedom of expression and speech. Also which artists have the largest effect on our youth? These are a questions that not many people or even parents think about before buying an album for the youth without even pondering about that little label that warns them of explicit material. Should something be done or can something be done to prevent the youth from taking the wrong track in life that is made to look like the glorious life of fame and riches?

To answer that question we have to look to the Congress of the United States and our laws. This idea has been brought to the house panel but it seems like there is nothing more that can be done than putting a parental advisory label on an album. No such federal ban on lyrics has ever taken place in our society, all they can do is stop minors from purchasing albums (Holland 1-2). One extremely controversial album in the late 1990’s was Eminem’s album the Marshal Mathers LP. In the Columbia Journalism review, author Michael Hoyt stated that he witnessed a young man at a record store refuse to sell this album to a minor and his mother; where the mother had no idea what content was in the album. It is parents like these that need to stay up to date with the current news and know what and what not to let their children listen to(Hoyt 67).

As for the topic of what it is that makes the youth want to act this way, it is the many topics covered in their lyrics that makes kids want to be “bad” or “tough” and be like their idols. These in fact might be the wrongs idols that kids need to live a successful life. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had an article of the negative influences of hip-hop which was mainly directed towards young women. Many girls are shown images of scantily clad women in music videos living life in the riches and just flaunting their sexuality. This is showing young women that if they act like this they could be rich and live a glamorous life. When in fact this is prostitution and these woman are just being paid to provide artists with sexual favors. The article also states that it is the image that sells to youth. Many famous rappers such as Kanye West have songs that are filled with degrading images and lyrics of women just being there for the money, which in return subjects them to believing that they are there just for sexual favors and money (SaeNgian C-1).

I decided to add onto the rap topic under the subtitle 2000 in Wikipedia and to write a short section on Kanye West as a major hip-hop artist and his influence on youth. In about five minutes my section that was added was no where to be found. I felt rather interested as I saved my addition because it was a true statement with no reference or proof. I also thought that maybe they would leave that in because there was no section about the effects of modern hip-hop on youth, and it is a known fact that the youth look up to these people as their idols. I was a little let down knowing that my section was almost immediately deleted but it brought another point to my idea. It is not the hip-hop artists fault directly for making the youth want to act like the artist.

Basically I came to the assumption that it is our own job to keep the youth from becoming what they hear in rap songs. Parents need to monitor what their children listen to and make sure that they know it is not the life of money and fame for most youth. They also clearly need to make the point to their young girls that the life of a rappers “girl” is not in fact the way anyone should live and it is also illegal and degrading. Rap artists have the freedom of speech and can say whatever they would like, whether they talk about prostitution, drugs, money, or anything else. It is the parents job to teach their children how to go about their life the right way. So the most that can be done is to show our youth the right way to go about their lives is through education, their parents, or perhaps even through learning lessons the hard way. There is no stopping of degrading lyrics or their influence on children unless their elders take a stand and teach kids that living that sort of life is not the real way to fame and success.

Works Cited

Holland, Bill. "House Panel to Examine Rap." Billboard 19 Feb. 1994: 1-2.

Hoyt, Michael. "An Eminem Expose:Where are the Citics?" Columbia Journalism Review 39 (2000): 67.

SaeNgian, Kathy. "Researcher cites negative influences of hip-hop." Pittsburgh Post- Gazette 13 June 2008: C-1.