Manifestations Of Violence

“I originally wanted to embrace the imagery and forthrightness of rap music. There are some interesting, dynamic voices in rap. But I find most of it irresponsible in its overt violence and commercialization of anger. As artists, we believe we can will action through language. If that's the case, we have to take responsibility for what we say.” - Yusef Komunyakaat. Before rap’s popularity exploded in American culture, West African and Caribbean musicians began to tell stories with the help of a beat and a drum. America first introduced rap music as a kind of street art in the 70s and became country-known by the 90s. Many people debate whether there is a difference between rap and hip-hop, but that topic is simply very clear. Hip-hop has an
Soon after, this was disregarded by the judge because there was no way to prove that that was the reason for the shooting. Manifestations of violence in many forms of media are believed to be not a new phenomenon, but an “example of history repeating itself” (Richardson and Scott 3). Studies show by the time an average American reaches the age of 18, they’ve witnessed 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (Richardson and Scott 4). Cartoons have contained as much as 80 violent acts per showing as well as commercials for children’s television portray 50-60 times more violence than adult television programs since 2000 (Richardson and Scott). Also, rap musics profound and violent language doesn’t stop its sales, for Americans “purchased over $1.5 billion [in 1999] and rose up to “$1.8 billion in 2000” [Rose 3]. The lyrics in rap music create a belief within society to cause violence in ways such as dehumanizing women as “sex objects” and brainwashing young people to glorify murder and drugs, however, others believe it serves more as a voice for
In their own rap music, men were placing woman only useful for sexual interaction that money can buy. When women rappers did this to men, they responded by calling them “gold-diggin hoes” (Bynoe 2). There is no societal agreement on where the line is drawn between “one person sexual freedom is another[s]... sexual objections while on the other hand it is very clear rap music revolves around “ingrained racism, male sexual ego, and… financial control of [black and white] men” (Bynoe 3). For centuries, women have always been looked down upon as the lower gender, the gender that doesn't have as much rights as they should. People that believe rap music causes violence is also fighting for woman's’ reputation around the world because they feel that women are easily taken advantage of and needs to change. Rappers aren't aware to the harm they are doing in the communities of women. Young women are being downgraded so regularly that they’ve begun to think its normal (Webb 4). Violence has been found not only in rap music, but “[in] heavy metal, and punk rock” but mostly blamed artists of rap for “glorify[ing] murder, drugs, and violence against women” (Edgar 3). The media has come to the conclusion that sex sells, and began to use that as their advantage and excuse to portray women as sex objects in the