Why Is Rap Music Influential

Influential Beats

Music has been part of many different cultures throughout each decade, existing as a way of communicating through rhythm and instruments. Artists have been continually admired and recognized as they appeal to the youth of each changing generation. Unfortunately, the messages that are being sent, both consciously and unconsciously, are not always steering teenagers in the right direction. The music industry often focuses on what sells rather than what is morally correct, which negatively impacts impressionable audiences. Sadly, listeners are more concerned with the idea of “fitting in” to the point where they begin to abandon their morals in order to achieve the acceptance they so greatly desire. Music, a dominant aspect

Popular rap songs nowadays focus mainly on drugs and alcohol. Kid Cudi, a famous rapper, released a song with the following lyrics: “I don’t care, hand on the wheel, driving drunk I’m doing my thing,” (Cudi). Cudi’s lyrics promote mistreating alcohol and driving while under the influence. Teenagers who look up to this artist will begin to believe these actions are permissible and may start to follow in his footsteps. Another dominant area rap music focuses on is degrading women. Rocko, a well-known rapper, published a repulsive song that states, “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it. I took her home and enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it,” (Rocko). Rocko is insinuating that he roofied a girl and raped her without her knowledge. If teenagers are listening to this type of music, they will presume this behavior as “normal” and “justified.” The faulty messages being displayed through modern rap lyrics can harm teenagers, as well as the music videos that entice viewers with secular

In these prevalent videos, the male singer is usually surrounded by many attractive women, or vice versa. A rapper by the name of Problem released the following lyrics: “Hell yea I got all these girls...” (Problem). These lyrics along with the corresponding music video present the artist as a “womanizer”; he seems to effortlessly always have girls around his arm. Viewers of this music video may expect to have multiple girls/guys encompassing them constantly, or else they may feel disappointment. Not only do these music videos show being surrounded by the opposite gender, but they also flaunt money, expensive cars, etc. Wu-Tang Clan, a hip hop group, published a song with lyrics that state, “Rollin in MPV's, every week we made forty G's,” (Wu-Tang Clan). Admittedly, these lyrics show Wu-Tang Clan’s boastful attitude about their own lifestyle. Young viewers of this music video perceive these materialistic items and believe that in order to be successful, they must attain these things first. These music videos lead teenagers down the wrong path by displaying materialistic objects, as well as artists who negatively present