Eng 101 - a Changed Image of Rap
Nai’Shaylyn Brown
Professor Jourbert
English 101
24 September 2016
A Changed image of Rap:
Rap music today feature lyrics and videos filled with slangs, violence, and drugs, which cause concern among most parents. These rap artists that promote violence has earned the name “Gangster Rap” make teenagers believe it’s okay to listen and be like some of these violent artists. Teens make these rap artists their role model. This kind of music is being sold to teens without any thought of concern. When many teens listen to this kind of music they think that what is being said in the songs is not wrong or against the law. Rap changing to gangster rap encouraging teens negative emotions and thoughts that has a negative impact on teenagers’ mindset.
Despite its entertainment value to teens “gangster rap” show them that violence, and being affiliated with gangs, and drugs are acceptable behavior. N.W.A. came from out of Los Anglos, California, in their lyrics they talked about crime, street violence and killing. Once they were a huge hit, it caught on, and really that's when all this disruption began. Lyrics in gangster rap that cause the most controversy are the ones that talk about shooting or killing. Some teens don’t realize the message behind the music or the lyrics of the artist. Teenagers don’t realize that the lyrics they take in affect the way they think when they are emotional. Some teen drops out of school just to become a rapper. They also start to think it’s okay to play with guns, be in gangs, and do drugs. Teenagers hear the lyric and try taking the violence of the lyrics into consideration. Some parent doesn’t talk to their children about the rap music and what some of it stand for then they listen to the violence lyrics. Because of this this is why some teenagers start to disrespect their peers. This does affect most the boys and half of the girls. There are girls that think it is okay to be thuggish, do drugs like smoking weed because they see women in rap videos smoking and drinking. Lil Wayne is one of the most famous rapper that teens listen to and love to listen to. Not all of his songs talk about violent but majority of his raps does. In Lil Wayne song, “Blunt Blowing” he mentions, “I’m blunt blowing, polo draws showing.” This means he smoke marijuana while sagging with his polo underwear showing. Teens think is okay to smoke marijuana and sag with their underwear showing because they favorite rapper does it. Which is not okay to show your underwear and to walk around with blunts in their mouth. Lil Wayne is not the only rapper that shows violence to teenager. Kevin Gates one the most inspiring rapper to both teenagers’ males and females. In Gate song “Kaza” Gates mentions “Not a robbery, this a murder woke up the whole house.” This mean that Kevin Gates usually in robberies stay quiet but planning on killing everybody so Gates going wake them up so they can see him before he kills them. Teen raps about this but doesn’t know what their rapping about. Last but not least some teen still listen to Tupac and in the lyric teens listen do that some so sense of violent going on. Tupac Shakur song entitles "Changes” states that "Cop don’t about a Negro, pull the trigger kill a nigga, he's a hero. Give the crack to the kids who the underworld care one less ugly mouth on the welfare. The song does talk about selling drug to the kids and killing each other, however Tupac Shakur is not encouraging his listener to sell drug or kill anyone.