Rap Music: It's Your Choice
Rap Music: It’s Your Choice
Rap is talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat. It is a form of music that stemmed from hip-hop culture; it began in the Bronx in the 1970's. It evolved from storytelling through songs that express the essence of African American street culture. Rappers tend to make references of love, sex, violence, socio-political issues, crime, race, and anything that depicts their street life. For example, in an interview from Kronick Magazine, rap artist Eminem states, “…when I talk about shit, it ain't as bad as priests raping kids or people having sex with underage women and shit like that. You got all kinds of fucked up shit goin' on like corrupt Politicians and shit like that. All I do a lot of times is talk about it and put it into character. And when I say it, it'll make it seem like I'm makin' it right or OK to do that, or I'm makin' it funny. But really, all I'm doin' is takin' what's wrong with the world and making it into music.” For the good or bad, rap music has influenced society. Gangsta rap has been condemned for its violent themes (Adaso). I believe rap music became violent when the subculture gangsta rap came about, but I don’t think it is meant to contribute to violence. Adaso states, “Rappers often defend themselves by saying that they're only depicting actual inner-city struggles, not promoting it.” Does rap music contribute to violence? To answer this question it will be important to consider the way people interpret rap music, how music therapy helps people, and the way society looks at rap music.
Music can be a reflection of our life experiences. I think that people take in the music, but interpret it the wrong way. Rap artist are telling a story about how they messed up as kids or teens and how adolescents should stay in school, so they won't end up like them. Although there are lyrics that talk about killing and disrespecting women, it is something terrible that happened to one in their life time that turns one into a
Rap is talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat. It is a form of music that stemmed from hip-hop culture; it began in the Bronx in the 1970's. It evolved from storytelling through songs that express the essence of African American street culture. Rappers tend to make references of love, sex, violence, socio-political issues, crime, race, and anything that depicts their street life. For example, in an interview from Kronick Magazine, rap artist Eminem states, “…when I talk about shit, it ain't as bad as priests raping kids or people having sex with underage women and shit like that. You got all kinds of fucked up shit goin' on like corrupt Politicians and shit like that. All I do a lot of times is talk about it and put it into character. And when I say it, it'll make it seem like I'm makin' it right or OK to do that, or I'm makin' it funny. But really, all I'm doin' is takin' what's wrong with the world and making it into music.” For the good or bad, rap music has influenced society. Gangsta rap has been condemned for its violent themes (Adaso). I believe rap music became violent when the subculture gangsta rap came about, but I don’t think it is meant to contribute to violence. Adaso states, “Rappers often defend themselves by saying that they're only depicting actual inner-city struggles, not promoting it.” Does rap music contribute to violence? To answer this question it will be important to consider the way people interpret rap music, how music therapy helps people, and the way society looks at rap music.
Music can be a reflection of our life experiences. I think that people take in the music, but interpret it the wrong way. Rap artist are telling a story about how they messed up as kids or teens and how adolescents should stay in school, so they won't end up like them. Although there are lyrics that talk about killing and disrespecting women, it is something terrible that happened to one in their life time that turns one into a