Music: Aggression And Violence In Music And Music

There have been multiple cases where music is claimed to be the source of a young individual’s violent behavior. Although there are many factors that go into determining aggression and violence, I was interested if certain genres of music such as rap, rock, and heavy metal and its lyrical content could really cause some violence. It’s a growing epidemic in our country of violent children committing brutal acts on society. Many claim that these violent behaviors can come from violent video games and movies, but is violent music being overlooked as a cause? Music is influential, and younger individuals could interpret violent and negative music content as something that is acceptable to do. This topic is significant to research and learn about

The genre’s lyrics usually consist of themes of killing, shooting, hustling, and pimping (Malek, 108). The genre became increasingly popular in the nineties and has been under intense criticism since. One hardcore rap duo, Insane Clown Posse, is a great example of a band under extreme criticism for their hardcore, brutal lyrics and heavy beats. Their fan group, labeled as “Juggaloes”, were deemed a gang in 2011 by the FBI (Goldstein, 2013). This duo’s lyrics depict rape and murder; lyrics such as “killed the little prick” and “I’ll cut your throat out” are popular among thousands of fans. Many individuals that listen to Insane Clown Posse though are also linked to violent acts. For example, Shawn Freemore and Ian Seagraves lured and stabbed man with a cleaver which is the symbol of the Juggaloes, and then wrote their own rap about the murder in detail (Monroe County DA). Another instance is of Jacob Robida, who also identified himself as a juggalo, who attacked three men at a gay bar, kidnapped and killed girl, and shot a police officer (CNN, 2006). These are just a few examples of the negativity that could be a cause of heavy, extreme rap, although other factors are part of it as well. However, many other more popular rappers and fans claim that the genre is full of aggressive beats and lyrical content to depict the urban life and the inner city life that young individuals have had

One would have to consider the adolescent’s home life, emotional state, exposure to violent movies and video games, and multiple other factors. Some would even agree that music can help adolescents through tough times and make them feel as if they are not alone. I thought this project was interesting because I would have never thought that music could affect someone and increase their risk of being aggressive or violent, but studies have concluded that it can in certain