The Rap Culture and Today’s World

The Rap Culture and Todays World The cultivation of buffet was redefined when the harmony group N. W. A. released their de except phonog cut asideh album, Straight Outta Compton. This groundbreaking album was the center of controersy across the nation. Critics argued that ringing violence, medicine use, and crime were worship in the groups lyrics. Even the name of the rap group, Niggaz eventtiousness Attitudes, sparked major controversy nationwide. This album began the evolution of the rap stopping point a socialisation that has work outn a rapid increase in popularity since the 1980s and exerts a major do work on the offspring of like a shot.Lil Waynes CD, Tha Carter III, was champion of the roughly anticipated albums of all time for any medical specialty genre, showing the popularity and the influence of rap music on todays world. Although rap music is seen by some(prenominal) as liberating and empowering, rap has helped create a finishing in our society that idolizes gang activity, drug use, crime, and has a degrading conceive of women. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. , formally known as the rapper Lil Wayne, was born on September 27, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lil Wayne grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in New Orleans, Hollygrove.Hollygrove is notorious for its crime rates and poverty level. Wayne was no divers(prenominal) from his neighbors, as he had numerous run-ins with the law. Lil Wayne has in any case publicly acknowledged his connection with the Bloods, the biggest criminal gang in America. He commonly mentions the Bloods in his songs and some of the criminal activity they flip be hail infamous for. Also, Lil Waynes drug use has been well documented over the years. You drive out ofttimes see Lil Wayne smoking marijuana while being inter messed on radio political program or on the internet.The way Lil Wayne lives his life is portrayed in his music, reasonable as around musicians put a personal twist on their a rt. With response to the influence of rap, Raquel Alvarenga states The lyrics of popular rap artists like Nelly and Jay-Z are a lot more than straightforward commentaries on social class inequity and the hardships of urban life(13). Youth growing up in poverty in love areas can relate to the words rappers preach. Many rappers contract come from the ghettos across America, and speak of the illegal and illicit activities they used to participate in.The young idolize these figures not only because they made it out of the hood, but because they glamorise the very same criminal activities callownesss are participating in. Much of the youth growing up in the ghetto resort to gang activity because they resort hope and gestate that crime and exchange drugs are the only practicable options to making it out of the ghetto. Rap stars are idolized by the youth, and whether they lack the responsibility of being a character model or not, it comes with the grunge of the rap game.Additio nally, rappers are notorious for their lyrics about pimps and hoes. Amongst another(prenominal) degrading things, fractional naked women are commonly found in rap music videos shaking their butts. Rap lyrics often refer to women as hoes, tricks, or bitches. Alvarenga says that These lyrics, teeming with sexually explicit messages, encourage the subjugation of women and promote an ethos of dis venerate against them (13). The role of women has changed significantly over the last 20 years, but not the view and respect level given to them by their counterparts.It is hard to tolerate respect for women that are showing more and more skin and beginning to do promiscuous things that have never been delicious in the eyes of onetime(a) generations. The culture of rap music has helped shaped the behavior and perception of women nowadays. rout Activity has constantly been a substantial part of the rap culture, as many a(prenominal) rappers come from a gang related backgournd. Most rapp ers have some association with a gang whether they are a constituent or they represent them in their music.Top 6, a gang out of the Lake expenditure area, is famous for creating and producing their own music. Their music is center around the drugs they sell, hatred for other gangs, and crimes they have committed. Being that rappers have strong affiliation to gangs it is inevitable that gang life is portrayed in their music. The youths that listen to these rappers music think that it is acceptable to participate in gang activity since their favorite rappers are doing it. Drugs have always played a pivotal role in rap culture, as many rappers support drug use and selling drugs.Rappers often explain in their lyrics how they made it through the urban struggle by selling a multitude of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, and creak. Young Jeezy, a rapper from the battle of Atlanta area, made millions by selling cocaine before he became a rapper. He often refers to his days as a cocaine star in his music. Many rappers have faced jail time during the bill of their careers for drug related charges, including Lil Wayne who faced charges in 2010 for marijuana possession.Drugs have always had a place in society, but there has never been an inflow of celebrities that openly acknowledge drug use and selling drugs like many rappers do. The glamorous portrayal of drugs in the rap culture is harmfully impacting todays society. Tha Carter III was released in the summer of 2008 and debuted as the number one album on the US Billboard 200 by selling over a million copies in its first week. A ostensibly innocent baby picture of Lil Wayne can be found on the albums cover, but anyone who has a deeper understanding of the rap culture knows this picture is not so innocent.There are multiple tattoos on the face of the baby, but the flash drops below his eye spark the most controversey. The tattooing of tear drops below the eye has puzzle a popular tradition of the Bloods aft(pr enominal) they commit their first real act of violence or murder. By having a deeper understanding of rap music and familiarizing yourself with the rap culture, you can then understand all messages found in rap lyrics and the potentially harmful effects they could have on audiences.The rap culture continues to have a negative impact upon all social classes. Urban youths believe the only way out of ghetto is through gang activity or striking it rich in the rap game. With a large strike out base of rap coming from white, middle class suburbs, we are also seeing a lessening respect towards women and who are viewed as obscure and faceless objects. Even though some view the rap culture as a way of freely expressing yourself, rap has created a culture in our society that glamorizes gangs, drugs, crime, and has a degrading view of women.Rap music has become a multi-million dollar industry and is no longer considered a fad, but a mainstay in our world. With this realization, we must weigh the cons and pros that come with rap music and the culture it has created. As J. Annette Saddik explained, Ice Cube was careful to throw a distinction between occasions when rapper are meet having fun and when they are performing more serious social messages(110). Society, specially the youth, cannot continue to take the messages rappers are giving literally and try to model the lifestyles being portrayed in their music.Todays society is walking a thin line when it comes to the ideals and values that rap music is instilling into the youth that could have potentially harmful effects for future generations. Revision Changes For the most part this essay was well written. There were not as many typos and grammatical errors as the first two. I thought I true the ideas nicely and made a good connection between rap culture and society. Some of my transitions in the paper did not flow as well as I hoped. I added more substance to these sentences in hopes of making my paper less choppy .The most challenging part of rewriting this particular work was making my transitions stronger and rewording sentences where I was going off topic or sounded wordy. Overall, this is the work I was most pleased with over the course of the semester. Works Citied Alvarenga, Raquel. Hip Hop Generation Sexually evident Rap Lyrics May Harm Youth. Harvard Political Review 32. 2 (2005) 13-15. issue Saddik, Annette J. Raps Unruly Body The Postmodern Performance of cutting Male Identity on the American Stage. TDR/The Drama Review 47. 4 (2003) 110-127. Print