Table of Contents

An opening statement

Rap Music: Problematic Issues

Medications

Crime and violence

Hatred or prejudice against women

In conclusion,

An opening

Many people enjoy rap music. It is a very popular genre of music, but it has a significant influence on youth. Rap music has been known for its problematic past and proponents of anti-social behavior such as using or selling drugs, promoting violent crimes and writing misogynistic songs. Recent years have seen these topics become a concern because of the intense lyrics and music videos by rappers. As many experts and researchers point out, rap music’s negative influence has led to a number of problems.

Rap Music Drugs: Problematic Issues These drugs are mentioned in almost all rap songs. According to The Progression of Drug Glorification: Hip-Hop History article, 77% of rap songs that reference drugs were found in 2005-2008. It is evident in the lyrics that these references are increasing. NAV and Travis Scott’s Biebs ‘In the Trap” raps: “I just pour an 8 in an liter, Throw some Jolly Ranchers inside, make this sweeter, Versace your clothes, I’m with a White Ho, And she sniffs three lines such as Adidas, Got A black girl rolling out Molly, Got another white bitch snorting Up Snow.” These drugs pose grave health risks and are increasingly being glorified by rappers. Lil Peep died of an overdose from xanax/fentanyl in November 2017. This is especially concerning because youth are often exposed to such references every day and are easy to influence. The Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation carried out a study of 1200 California youth aged 15-25. It found that 70% of them had listened to Rap music and admitted to using drugs. This shows that rappers glorifying the use and abuse of drugs can have a detrimental effect on people. The study was conducted by the Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation with 1200 participants from California, aged 15-25. This topic is often referenced in many songs. Juice WRLD’s Armed and Dangerous is a notable example. He says “Gun on Me, No need to Bodyguards”, and then goes on to say that he does not need a bodyguard because he has his own gun. Also, he can take out someone’s body parts if he shoots at them. This is worrying because it encourages violence. Young people, who are easy to influence, might consider that fighting, stabbing, and shooting others acceptable ways to manage conflict. Research by Western Connecticut State University showed that those who listen to rap music have a higher likelihood of engaging in aggressive behaviours. Researchers also found that participants were influenced by violent lyrics by their financial and social backgrounds. This confirms the fact that violence-praising lyrics can have a negative impact on people, making them more aggressive and violent. This shows that violent lyrics can have a variety of influences on a person’s behavior.

MisogynyMisogyny is a common concern in the rap music genre. Rap music videos and songs often depict women as lower-status than men or sexual objects. Many rap songs feature rappers talking about having sex and raping about women’s bodies. Fefe from 6ix9ine has a notable example of such lyrics. In Fefe he says “Got her super soaker Hit that, She Fefe,” Genius says that Fefe can refer to a pretty young girl but that it can also be used as a sex toy. These lyrics suggest that he has sex with a girl. 6ix9ine refers to the girl having sex as a Fefe, which is a metaphor that suggests that the girl is only a sexual object. Rap songs almost always refer women to themselves as derogatory terms like bitches and hoes. The article Alleviating the Effects Of Misogyny Hip Hop Music and Rap was published in February 2018. It states that 18 of 25 Billboard top 25 rap songs were reported to have used derogatory terms for women. This is a significant number considering the fact that not all of the top 25 rap songs were analyzed. Music videos often show women wearing little or no clothing or showing their breasts and buttocks. Taste by Tyga. Drip Too Hard by Lil Baby. Gunna. And Pick Up the Phone from Young Thug. These music videos feature women dancing in the background wearing revealing or garish clothes. These elements all contribute to devaluing women. They make them look like sexual objects, social unequals, or change how they see women. Derek Brown, a ex-gang member, discussed how rap music had influenced him. He said that he listened to N.W.A. “I remember listening to N.W.A. Fischer and Greitemeyer did a study titled Impact of Music Lyrics and Music Videos – Children and Youth. The results showed that men who listened and were influenced by misogynistic lyrics perceived women in a more negative light. Ellen Nikodym said that women who listened, especially to rap lyrics that were misogynistic, were more inclined to objectify themselves. These reports are a reminder that rap can have a negative impact on listeners in countless ways.

ConclusionRap artists often use drugs, violence, and women to reference in their music. It is not hard to understand why they do this. There is a distinction between rapping on these topics to share a story with listeners or to make money, or to be famous. These are important issues that need to be addressed. These references are not necessary for rappers to create great songs. Songs such as God’s Plan, This Is America and 1-800-273-8255 are great examples of songs that don’t mention these topics. Although I’m not suggesting that we stop listening or boycotting rap, we must stop praising rappers when they talk about such topics. And rappers should recognize that their lyrics can have an influence on all age groups, genders, and races.

Author

  • declanryan

    Declan Ryan is a 25-year-old blogger who specializes in education. He has a degree in education from a top university and has been blogging about education for the past four years. He is a regular contributor to several popular education blogs and has a large following on social media. He is passionate about helping students and educators alike and is always looking for new ways to improve education.