Musicians have a responsibility to serve as role models to our youth

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Musicians have a responsibility to serve as role models to our youth

I strongly disagree with this statement because music artists have the right to express what ever subject they wish. Musicians do have to serve as role models to our youth through their actions, if that is their target market, but they do not have to take any responsibility what so ever for what teenagers choose to listen to or the actions they choose to take because of artists lyrics.

The lyrics in many musicians? songs, especially ?rap? music should not be taken seriously, because a number of music artists have said that the lyrics in their songs are not meant to be taken seriously. Many rap artists use extremely exaggerated and profound lyrics (which are not to be taken seriously) to portray a message.

There has been much debate over whether musicians should be banned from releasing music with explicit lyrics, especially by parents. Ozzie Osbourne has been taken to court on three occasions because of parents that accused him of influencing their sons? actions due to the explicit lyrics in his songs. Each of the boys had committed suicide, and on all three occasions parents believed that Ozzie Osbourn?s lyrics contributed to, or were the main cause of their sons? unfortunate deaths. But in all three court cases Ozzie Osbourne was not held accountable for the actions of the parents children, because music artists are allowed to express themselves freely.

Even though all musicians have the right of ?freedom of speech? there is warning stickers on all CD?s such as ?Explicit content MA 15+? or ?High Course Language? etc. These labels help differentiate music with explicit lyrics/content from music that has no explicit content. The labels warn all parents that if their child or teenager is under the age of 16, that this music may not be suitable for them to listen to.

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