This first image is the positive side. Back in the day rap music, and music in general used to have a positive message. Rappers rapped about the struggles they faced, and staying uplifted, and how to make a way out of a negative situation. Especially when it came to the black youth. It was about being proud of your skin color and where you come from, and Tupac exemplified that by making it ok to talk about respecting woman and being an example to the youth, not this foolishness we see in the world of pop culture amongst my fellow African Americans today, and even young white kids.
Now on a negative note, This modern day music is not good, and it truly is controlling. Music now a days forces you to think that you have to be a certain way, or carry yourself a certain way in order to justify your blackness, which is wrong because your actions do not define your ethnic background. It's true because kids think because a rapper sags his pants, "I have to do it," or because he does this drug I have to try it. Basically what I am trying to say is that music is causing kids to be followers so they feel as if they fit in or are "cool." The most detrimental thing music in pop-culture has done is give the youth the acceptance of the N word. In times past that word was not tolerated at all, but now if you say it, it gives you a since of cool, or it becomes an endearing term. It has gotten so bad that even young white kids, and all races are using it like it is a normal word. This is all through the influence of modern music because almost every rapper today loves to use the word in every line.
http://reason4rhymes.com/2013/03/hip-hop-news/music-industry-exec-says-gangsta-rap-is-designed-to-send-black-people-to-prison/
At the end of the day Adorno had a point by stating that pop-culture today makes today's people followers, and no longer thinkers for themselves. Instead youth feel they have to act this way to fit in. I honestly have to say that this is true because most of these kid's are trying to do everything the latest hip rappers are doing instead of trying to get educations, or reasonable occupations because what they see on TV seems like the easy way out.
The first thing that came to mind after reading this was the song Scapegoat by Atmosphere. The entire song is based around a list of pop culture influences and society's reaction to these topics. If you listen to this song, be aware that there is plenty of vulgar, but I feel the message behind it is excellent.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZCqzvLEW8
I feel like the majority of people, including myself has a proud side to them to say the least. Deep down inside we all feel like pop culture doesn't influence us much as an individual and that we have some sort of resilience to these messages. Much like the lyrics in Scapegoat, he is obviously aware of all the outside influences in his life and he has a pessimistic outlook on all of it. With his pessimism, he pokes fun at the idea of individualism in our society. He sarcastically explains how all people have this ego and how people think they aren't as easily influenced as others. But with a near never-ending list of these influences, how can we possibly be resilient to these messages?
The youth is very impressionable. So when we are barraged with all these negative words and messages that is very prevalent in today's popular music, how do you think that can really effect us?
With regards to rap and hip-hop, I'll finish this comment with a quote from Del the Funky Homosapien (warning: language)
"Rap ain't about busting caps and f***ing b****es, it's about fluency with rhyming ingenuity."
I completely agree with your stance on our current music compared to a decade ago. Music now is all focused on staying "cool" instead of inspiring the youth, it seems like music is causing more of a negative affect towards the younger generations by focusing on getting the most girls and having the best cloths instead of getting an education
ReplyDeleteI feel where you are coming from 100% I really do, the pop culture has had a big impact on the youth of today for a while now. The music that is out today is not all negative, some of if has a meaning and a point, there is a message that these musician are trying to get out in the world. I can say some of it isn't always positive for the ears of the youth of today but I feel there isn't any other way to put the message out, and again I can be wrong this is just my own opinion towards it. Their is people that can relate to that type of life style that these rapper are rapping about. Its more of a story that these rapper are trying to say and to get the world that don't know how it is in the rough streets they want them to know was going on, and the only way they can get people to hear them is through their music.
ReplyDeleteNow with N word it was a word that was used to bring African Americans down, it made African Americans feel like they was nothing, useless , dumb, and not apart of the rest of the world. Now its a word that you hear in good terms and still in some bad ways, but African Americans turned it in to a word where they can use to lift themselves up and not put each other down. It is getting a little out of hand with different racers use it to, I don't think its okay for it to be used at all but again that's just my own opinion.
Darius, I loved the post, man. Tupac was an individual who truly impacted the world, and definitely in a positive way. Rappers back in the day were influencing our youth to strive to be better and battle through adversity. Like you said, today's music is controlling us. Our youth is being trained and almost "brainwashed" to believe disrespecting women and gang violence is an okay thing to do. I've definitely slowed down my listening of modern rap because of this. I usually listen to mainstream music just for the beats, somewhat ignoring the lyrics because they're so trashy. Great post.
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