Inside Rap Music

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Inside Rap Music

Music, like mass media and television, has such a powerful influence on our society. People think rap music is very negative towards society, which is not the case. Rappers teach people about possible consequences a person may encounter if they choose the same route. Rappers tell their life experience through their songs. Rap music does not influence violence; it educates people on what is going on in the lives of urban people.

When someone mentions rap music, the first thing some people think is violence, sex, and drugs, negative, and worthless music. There are a number of rappers that do and sell drugs, live the crime life, and do jail time. The message that rappers send to their listeners is the realities of their life, the consequences, and the reasons to try and avoid the same situations. In a song called, “This Can’t Be Life”, artist Beanie Sigel recalls the criminal path he chose. In his song, he stated that the only thing that could stop him was, “till them feds pick me up or them boys pop me.” (Sigel) He later says that, “I have to teach my sons the right way before I die.” (Sigel) Sigel was letting his listeners know that he do not want people to do the things he did. He made it clear that he was going to teach his sons the right way to pursue their lives.

Rap artist tell their life story through rap. Not only do they tell their story, but they also have a moral to their story. Tupac was one of the greatest rappers of all time. He was murdered at the age of 25. He is still, even in death, one of the most influential artists in the lives of urban people. Tupac told his life, from the beginning to the end, in his music. He was in a gang, he did drugs, and he was also known as a “thug.” If peop...

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...ofound impact on the African American community in the United States. Rappers want to make people aware of the obstacles faced in urban society. Although the media reports the crime and violence, the rapper gives an overall view of the negative, as well as trying to produce the positive. The violence, sex, and drugs come with the rap music because that was apart of the lifestyle that the artist lives. Rap music educates people on what really goes on in some urban communities. Before people judges rap music, they should take the time to listen and try to understand what they are saying. It will be educating.

Work Cited

Sigel, Beanie, Jay-Z. “This Can’t Be Life.” CD.

DMX. “Who We Be” Cd.

Henderson, A. Errol. “Black Nationalism and Rap Music”. Online. http://www.nbufront.org/html/fvwin98/errol1.htm

Scarface, Tupac. “Smile.” CD.

Tupac. “Niggaz Done Change.” CD.

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