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How influential is music?

Developments in music such as the hip-hop revolution leave a negative impact on our impressionable youth

** The Hip-Hop Revolution was a movement that "[glorified] violence, sex, and crime" (Katel). Rap is a genre of music that has evolved and adapted to the changes in our world. But even still, "a 2007 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that a significant number of Americans viewed hip hop as a bad influence on society" (Batchelor). Has the genre gone too far and has had a negative influence on society or is it another art form that exercises the right to freedom of speech? The debate is still relevant as the arguments on popular culture evolve and the true influence it has on society is still undetermined. However, I believe that a ** ** new system of music ratings should be put in place based on the amount of explicit content that gives greater insight to the true content on the music. ** **“Hip-hop emerged in the Bronx in the early 1970s, when the first MCs chanted their raps, and the first DJs spun their vinyl disks, for neighborhood youths who wanted to groove to the music. Hip-hop's venues weren't velvet-roped clubs, or stadiums, but apartment building community rooms, playgrounds and street corners” (Katel). It began as a movement of free expression of ideas and beliefs through music. At first, this genre was widely ignored by radio stations. However, “Increasing mainstream attention was garnered by high record sales in the later 1990s, as the gangsta rap subgenre faded from its one-time prominence and a large variety of hip hop acts achieved success” (Hip-Hop in the 200s). As the hip-hop genre began to become more of an influence on society, societies also began to change. Crime began to increase in inner-cities and city governments were headed towards bankruptcy. City services such as trash collection and education systems were pushed to their limits, which especially negatively affected youth when rappers and other hip-hop artists were “marketing a stereotype of inner-city life that both titillated white kids and damaged black inner-city kids by making the thug a hero” (qtd in Debating Hip-Hop). Also, drug trafficking for substances such as crack cocaine severely increased. It wasn’t far-fetched to come to the conclusion that the music industry was becoming a heavy influence on young people.**

**The hip-hop music industry almost depicted a type of lifestyle that people felt like they had to almost live by. The “gangsta” lifestyle became more common as hip-hop became more of a driving influence in societies. Even some of “hip-hop's fiercest critics, including black intellectuals and entertainers, argue that hip-hop presents a caricature of black America that damages how young black people view themselves and how they're viewed by others” (Katel). The debate is over this highly influential revolution has become a negative influence on society or it’s simply another way to exercise your right of free expression. As hip-hop and rap has steadily increased in popularity and sales, and we’ve even seen how “rap [has become] increasingly identified with graphic depictions of sex, misogyny and glorification of violence and drugs” (qtd. in Debating Hip-Hop).**

** The “cultural phenomenon known as hip-hop has morphed from hard-driving dance numbers into sex- and violence-filled ‘gangsta rap’ — and a record-label goldmine” (Katel). What began as a fresh and new persona given to black America transformed into a billion-dollar empire right before our eyes. Although the rapidly growing genre has created a ‘visual culture’ for itself, which professor James E. Brunson defines as “reflections on the objects and imagery of hip-hop. It provides face-to-face encounters with stereotypes, caricatures, classificatory figures, search images, mappings of the visible body, and the social spaces in which it appears“ (Brunson). For example, we often tend to associate a man wearing sagging pants and gold chains with the hip-hop genre. Many argue that this is one of the many effects of the increasingly popular style of expression, and even portrays a negative image upon African-Americans. Some of hip-hop’s most renowned critics say that argue that ”hip-hop presents a caricature of black America that damages how young black people view themselves and how they're viewed by others” (Katel). **

** Modern hip-hop music is unlike most other genres, since their songs typically have one common theme -- the glorification of things like thugs, crime, drugs, and freelance prostitutes. This naturally leads many to associate African-Americans with the the genre, along with what the songs are often about, seeing as though African-Americans have always dominated the industry and many see their music as a reflection of black culture. Additionally, the behavior that rap promotes has influenced things such as crime rates and drug trafficking. Hip-hop also glorifies illegal activities and the ‘thug’ image that children can easily pick up on. Such an image is almost setting children up for a future of crime. In a U.S. Senate Hearing, it was said that we are facing, "an unavoidable conclusion that gangsta rap is negatively influencing our youth . . . this explains why so many of our children are out of control and why we have more blacks in jail than we have in college" (qtd. in Debating Hip-Hop). The small movement of hip-hop has turned into one of the most revolutionary forces of entertainment, and perhaps the most controversial. **


 * With only our Parental Advisory System as our form of music ratings ("consists of a black and white label placed on music albums to indicate that a recording may contain strong language or references to sex, drugs, or violence"), I would recommend we create an additional system of music ratings based on the content of each album or song. For example, If we had ratings as simple as how we have movie or video game ratings, we could prevent extremely inappropriate material being accessible to children. Although the Parental Advisory System has been in affect since 1985, it may seem reliable, but "only 44% [of parents] felt that it did a good job of providing them with adequate information about violent content in music" (PCU). By creating an alternative system, we can set guidelines  and standards for each rating, which would in fact give sufficient information about the content of the material. My ideal style of rating would be based on a numerical system from 1 to 5, 1 being the most appropriate for everyone, and 5 being the most explicit. This way, parents could easily see if their child is of appropriate age to listen to the music of any said rating. This system would ideally be put into effect by some sort of government program, which would set the guidelines and standards on the system. After that, it would be on the shoulders of the music industry to give themselves ratings for all music that would ideally be industry-wide. Music would be given a rating based on the content, including the amount of violence, crude language, drug use, and so on. With a wider variety of ratings, youths could easily be able to distinguish  what music they would be allowed to buy, and so would parents and retailers. And with since purchasing music online is the leading method of buying music, parents could set guidelines on the accounts of their children, so they could buy music with certain ratings, just like how you can use a program like iTunes so that parents can keep children from buying explicit music -- the system would work in the same way. **** This system seems much more effective in comparison to our "clean or explicit" system, since it actually gives insight to the content on the music. ****Of course, these "attempts to label explicit or violent content are rooted in the belief that exposure to violent media content may negatively impact children in particular, or society in general" (Cornwell). With this system put in to place, our easily influenced youth ideally would be kept away from some of the most inappropriate music. However, it would not be a form of censorship since the rating system is merely a suggested warning label for buyers. **


 * An article on iDebate discussed if it was right for the "government [to] censor lyrics of songs that are violent or expletive, for example 'gangsta' rap" (Ruane). One of the first arguments explained how gangsta rap, is just like any other form of entertainment, such as an opera or television program. This article stated that "violence and criminality are also endemic in other forms of entertainment, for example opera and classic films often contain large-scale killing and violence. Trying to link gangsta rap to crime is singling it out amongst entertainment forms for political reasons". I would not agree with the statement, because I believe there are many more factors that should be considered. For example, other forms of entertainment such as video games, movies, and television shows are given ratings based on content. By not giving music appropriate ratings, it creates a double standard with music compared to other forms of entertainment. This is why things such as gangsta rap is often the scapegoat for increased crime rates -- however, a study in 1995, "three scientists found that males who had been randomly assigned to view rap videos became more accepting of the use of violence in dealing with interpersonal problems. It has also been found that both genders exposed to violent rap videos were more likely to commit acts of domestic violence" (Barnes). Not only that, but according to the National Crime Statistics of 2008, "crime has fallen and not on a percentage base, the number of reported incidents of violent crime have diminished. This coupled with the falling sales of rap would suggest that there is a connection". It's clear that music easily captivates and influences society, so why shouldn't music have to have proper ratings like other forms of entertainment? **


 * Some may argue that having rating systems at all is a form of censorship in itself. For example, when Tipper Gore went on a campaign to add our current Parental Advisory System, it was argued that "putting 'Parental Advisory' stickers on CD cases could constitute censorship because it's blatant dissuading people from buying CDs" (Furritus). In other words, by simply saying that an album had explicit content, it's discouraging people from buying it. Well, if artists didn't want people to know their music was explicit, they wouldn't have made it that way. Attempts to give media different ratings, is only meant to be a "useful tool for parents who want to monitor entertainment. Children are far more impressionable than adults and far less able to distinguish fantasy (or satire) from reality. At the same time, adults can and [can] contemplate themes which children find disturbing" (Rabkin). The point of ratings systems are not to censor, but to help parents raise their children more effectively. Age-based rating systems for things such as music have proved effective in places such as Britain and Canada, seeing as they have these systems enforced by law. Rating systems are meant to protect, not censor or restrict rights by any means. **


 * Some may instantly turn down this rating system and claim that it a unjust system that goes against our freedom of speech. By putting a label on something as "highly explicit" surely would set some people off. The argument is that "any form of expression or communication which is available to us is included within the concept of 'speech' found in the First Amendment" (NPU). In other words, it's not right to set standards for what is appropriate for everyone to hear and what is not. However, it's more than just labeling something as "explicit or clean". The purpose of the system it to give greater understand of different content in music to not just parents, but everyone. Parents can still allow their children to listen to highly explicit material if they choose to, but giving more appropriate ratings to music is a simply a way of giving more of an effective warning to listeners. Just how we are used to movie ratings and video game ratings, this rating system would become just as normal. And who's to say that music isn't just as influential as movies an video games? Themes of "sexual promiscuity and excessive profanity in modern music (hip hop is specifically mentioned) have been said to affect the young psyche" (AMTI). In today's modern times, it's simply unfair to say all forms of media aren't equally influential. With this being said, a new system of music ratings wouldn't be "restricting rights", but protecting children from accepting dangerous influences. **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">**Since its creation about 40 years ago, the hip-hop industry has been going strong as it has become a multi-billion dollar empire. The music industry in general has been one of our most strongest influences in out society today. With the promotion of gang violence, crime, drug use, and so on in today's music, it's easy to see how our children are affected as we watch them be exposed to the media around us. The bottom line is that we need to be more aware of what types of things are being put out in the open for everyone to see, and parents need to be more aware of what their children are listening to. For instance, I was sitting in a waiting room one day and overheard a boy who was probably around 10 years old talking to what must have been his mother. The boy was talking about how he liked the rapper Kid Cudi, and the mother asked him who he was and what songs that her son liked. Little did the mother know, Kid Cudi has multiple songs that are solely about smoking marijuana, and other illegal activities. Would she had been so passive if she was informed on the true content of the music? That's why my numerical rating system on music would prove itself useful. It gives not just parents, but everybody information on the amount of explicit material in certain music. This way, it's easier to monitor what your child is listening to, and with set standards, artists can change their music in order to appeal to a bigger audience. With all of these factors combined, children will be influenced much less in a negative manner by music, and our industry. The ultimate goal is not to censor by any means, but to help protect. "Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate" -- Anonymous.**