The Effect of Rap Music on Teenagers - Coursework Example

The Effect of Rap Music on Teenagers The Effect of Rap Music on Teenagers Introduction Human understanding and activities are catalyzed by processes that start in the brain. For an activity or behavior to start, there have to be the conceptions and interpretations that engage the moral precepts that had been previously set in the brain. That implies that the brain is the determinant of culture as culture generates from likes and dislikes, described by Dacey and Fiore (2006), as behavior. In a study conducted by Levesque (2007), he highlighted that music significantly lights up most parts of the human brain, including the cortex that conducts most thinking and moral conceptions. According to Jamieson and Romer (2008), music is the alternate and boost to language as a cultural tool. That implies that it is used to communicate the intricate cultural projections that are existent within the societies. Considerably, rap music has significantly factored as a distinct genre of music that get used to project cultural ideologies (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). When analyzing the history of the genre, Jamieson and Romer (2008), explained that rap are the lyrical combinations of free flowing talk, that can be rhymed at varying speeds. Originally, it was common with the African American societies and started in the 1960’s but has since developed to gain audience all over the world. With the spread of the culture, the behavioral projections that were witnessed by the fans affected their psychology, thus leading to the spread of negative behavior. Characteristics of the Genre Though there are artists who have majored their interests to use the cultural tool as the podium for propagating campaigns that seek to strengthen the morals of the society, most of the artists have adopted the trend of using dirty language (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). Rap music started amongst the black communities in the US who were idle and spent most of their time in the streets. As an alternative to crime, the rappers decided to engage themselves in activities that would make them pass time. However, the connection of the music with the crime has not totally petered and is still evident in the kind of videos and lyrics that characterize the industry. Such have led to the acclaims that rap music has greatly affected societal morals and negated the development of the communal social institutions (Levesque, 2007). Rap is characterized by heavy lyrics that define ghetto life, and in most instances, the fantasies of the poor, or the success that the poor have witnessed among the few rich in the populations. In a different context, rap also covers the show off and bragging as the few successful artists always want to either boast their success or challenge their adversaries. Considering that the music genre has barely parted ways with the criminal behavior that defined ghetto life in the previous decades, such show offs and dares are often accompanied with rampant wielding of weapons in the videos (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). Other than that, rap artists also tend to use vulgar language and nudity in their videos. Semi nude women have become a common characteristic of the videos, a factor that seen to the banning of several videos in Asia, especially in Korea. According to Jamieson and Romer (2008), the poor who desire to get rich often think that riches are projected in partying lifestyles in which sexuality should be the primary purpose. As a selling strategy, the producers of the music often explore this conception and overuse sexuality in their movies. That is so because most of them think that the primary target population are the majority blacks who are averagely poor in the US (Levesque, 2007). Negative Effects of the Rap amongst Teens Considering the fact that music lights up most parts of the brain, it affects even the parts that are responsible for making decisions and ethical conceptions. Music may as such be used as an ethical tool, or as a tool that contradicts the ethical conceptions of every society (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). That explains why so much influence in the Y Generation has been propagated through music. Teens, according to Levesque (2007), are the most susceptible to manipulation and pressure. That is so because their age factor drives them to idolize individuals whom they consider as mentors. Accordingly, the most common characteristic among teenagers is the rebellion that results from the psychology of the desire to live in a world of fantasies. In the article Media, sex, violence, and drugs in the global village by Kamalipour (2001), he highlighted that teenage life is developmental stage, point at which conceptions are made and lessons learned. That implies that they have to experience curiosity. However, they are always drawn to the factors that project the same kind of rebellion that defines their haven. As such, they often give preference to the kind of media that fits their rebellious psychology. Considerably, rap music has influenced the most essential ethical characteristic of every society through its language and lyrics. Rappers often have the inclination to use utterances that refer to human private parts. Moreover, they also have the inclination to swear and curse. In their expressing sexuality and crime, they tend use x rated language that Dacey and Fiore (2006), stated that should make the music labeled with age limits. In a sense, the language has corrupted the social relations amongst the teenagers and with adults as well as they feel that such are often the cool modes of communication. Ethically, language defines respect, love, care and the desire to share and coexist with the society. However, corrupted language that contradicts the virtues that founded social relations often negates coexistence (Levesque, 2007). Rap music has also been rampant on the use of sign language that most of the times is interpreted for abusive language and the I don’t care attitude. For instance, the middle finger has been interpreted in several occasions to imply a sexual abuse. However, the rappers use them in ways that suggest that it is morally right to use such language, regardless of the situation. Other than the abuse, the use of the sign language is encouraging the teenagers to form their language. Through the sign languages that have been inspired by the rap music, the teenagers have broken the accords that defined communication and social relations in the past (Kamalipour, 2001). The older generations often tend to loathe the sign communication and as such also end up loathing the behaviors projected by the teenagers. Other than the breaking the accords of communication, the sign languages also forms the breeding grounds for crime as it creates a coded language through which the criminals can communicate. Other than the language, the rap music has influenced the dressing amongst the teenagers. As had been previously elaborated, the producers of the music always lean their production on sexuality. As such, the figures used in the films always don on attires that expose too much nudity (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). However, considering that the teenagers have chosen the musicians as their role models, they tend to use them as the trend setters with whom they determine social elements like dressing fashion. Consequently, they end up dressing scantily like their admired mentors. In essence, the scanty dressing does not end at the attire. According to Kamalipour (2001), it spurs sexual conceptions, a factor that has seen to the rise of sexual behavior amongst teenagers. He so explained that exposed body parts often invite sexual perverts to pray on ladies and boys whom they consider as sexually attractive or sexually welcoming. Moreover, the sexuality that is catalyzed through the rap music not only affects the sexual behavior amongst teens, but also increases their vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies (Jamieson & Romer, 2008). It is common for the rap lyrics to comprise of words that are project unprotected sexual activity. Such often spurs the curiosity of the teenagers and drives them to commit to unprotected sexual activity. Kamalipour (2001), explained that rap is sexually misleading and often builds the foundation for unwanted sexual behavior. Moreover, some rappers also use scenes that justify gay activities. As such, the teenagers’ psychology is often affected by such scenes and end up adopting the gay practices. However, the sexual scenes in the rap music videos serve to inspire the interest in pornography. The nudity is considered insufficient with due time and not capable of satisfying the visual sexual interest amongst the teenagers. Jamieson and Romer (2008), explained that every addiction starts with the slightest exposure to a substance/topic thus the gradual development from the explicit scenes of the rap video to hardcore porn. Other than the video, the lyrical contexts of the music often inspire the teenagers to want to experiment the descriptions that the rappers are often so inclined to use (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). Moreover, they do believe in the reality of the words that are projected. For instance, in the song Get to Know You by G-Unit, the artists explain how they desire to sexually exploit the privileges of a relationship with a beauty. Dacey and Fiore (2006), stated that besides its being unethical, rap music is addictive. The projections in the videos and scenes that show the acquisition of easy money, the presence of women and a generally good life often leaves most teenagers with envy. In their desire to emulate their idolized rap artists, most teenagers end up spending long durations trying to master the lyrics of the raps. Moreover, the time spent deprives them of the opportunity to exploit other developmental activities. More teenagers spend more time listening to the rap music that participating in constructive activities. In a study conducted by Dacey and Fiore (2006), more parents have been complaining about supposedly teenage sons and daughters who avoid to participate in house chores as they are engage in their musical interests. The laziness also negates the educative development of teenagers. In a report that explained the rates of school drop outs in Illinois, Kamalipour (2001), explained that hip hop has developed a culture that defines the circles of drop outs. Some of the drop outs spend time listening to music and compromise their education as there is minimal time for studies. Moreover, some of the students have heard the lyrics in which the rappers claim that they have prospered despite their not being fully educated. In as much as some of the rappers have gone to school, some of them are not well schooled and therefore do not understand the value of school. As was explained by Dacey and Fiore (2006), education is often the foundation for every morally upright society. That is so because it instills the values and disciplines that define respect and knowledgablity. Moreover, it equips learners with the capacity and ability to exploit avenues and resources in their environments for prosperity. The failure to get educated often steeps societies into criminal activities and negates their development. Such crime may be inclusive of robbery, rape, or even drunk behavior. Education sets the eithical limits for behavioral practices (Jamieson & Romer, 2008). As its significance is bare, the effect of rap music on the development and acquisition of education is adamant. Considerably, education molds every society and even assists the rappers through the processes of using their rap fortune. In the event that it cannot be acquired in a society, the social and economic institutions of the society are always set to collapse (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). The wielding of weapons in the movies and the bragging on criminal life and record often inspires the youth that the criminal life is worthy. In a song Am Gonna Love You, rapper Iggy highlights how criminal live lavish lives and spend their time having fun. She acts as the main character in the video and through her actions explain how okay it would be to kill or be killed. Moreover, she projects that the bad deeds are not necessarily reported to the police and can be resolved through criminal vengeance. When watching such videos, teenagers may be inspired to follow in their precepts and adopt such criminal life. However, their actions are always misguided as they always fail to acknowledge that the movies are acted motions and nowhere near reality and norm. What matters, however, is the influence that results from the movies and compels them to adopt the practices (Levesque, 2007). Moreover, some videos also contain images of drug lords and their money laundering activities. Considering that it the desire of most teenagers to lives in which they have power and money, some of them tend to adopt the practices that are projected in the videos and join gangs with the hopes of becoming renowned warlords. Crime is propagated in the videos through the projection of the stereotyping that criminal activities lead to lavish lives and riches. Teenage crime may often begin with small time theft that virtually progresses into hard core crime that would threaten the development of a society. The rappers have also popularized the use of tattoos on their bodies. Such features often deform the human body and deprive it of decency. However, teenagers always have the inclination to copy their idols and as such, acquire tattoos with which they always intend to prove their advancing age status (Kamalipour, 2001). Moreover, some of the tattoos are always acquired on body parts that should be labeled as private. With their acquisition develops the inclination to show such parts to the public. In the process, nudity is cultured and the processes that may lead to sexual assault start again (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). Other body distortions like multiple body piercings also lower the decency of human appearance yet such have become common in the rap videos. When teenagers adopt such practices, they increase their vulnerability to sexual assault and even sexual diseases. Lastly, the projection of the use of drugs on the videos have also propagated the use of drugs amongst the teens (Levesque, 2007). A good example of such a video is This Weed is Mine, a song in which Snoop Dogg explains how marijuana is a stimulant that has great effect and should be envied by everyone else. However, he is not the only artist who has produced such kind of music as such have become rampant. The effect of such productions has been witnessed amongst teenagers in increasing numbers. According to Jamieson and Romer (2008), the prevalence of the use of such stimulants has been on the rise and has affected the mental and physiological health of most teenagers and the youth. That is so because the music always deficiently presents the stimulants by highlighting the high feelings only with disregard to the health risks that they pose to the society. Conclusion Mitigating the effects of rap music would be challenging considering that it has grown to one of the most popular genres of music in the world. Moreover, most teenagers and youth often want to identify with the music. Other art also propagate its spread. Rap calligraphy has become common in and vehicles. As such, the problems that lightly started through rap and hip hop has developed and steeped itself in the mind of the society (Dacey & Fiore, 2006). That implies that stopping it would be very challenging as so many changes would have to be made on practices that have been adopted by the societies. For instance, the social institutions would have to undergo a restructuring process to abandon the unethical practices that have been adopted and conceived as norm. However, developing problems amongst individual teenagers would require the application of psychological therapy that aim to correct their mental conceptions. Such therapy would highlight the benefits of maintaining ethical practices and the negative effects of adopting the trendy rap culture. Psychology would restructure the conceptions or bar their conceptions. Moreover, parents should take stricter measures that guide the kid of music that children listen to. The state may also play a role in their sense by banning the media that is considered as ethically provocative (Levesque, 2007). Other than that, the education institutions should adopt learning mechanisms through which the societal values would be reinforced. References Dacey, J. S., & Fiore, L. B. (2006). The safe child handbook: How to protect your family and cope with anxiety in a threat-filled world. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Jamieson, P. E., & Romer, D. (2008). The changing portrayal of adolescents in the media since 1950. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kamalipour, Y. R. (2001). Media, sex, violence, and drugs in the global village. Lanham [u.a.: Rowman & Littlefield. Levesque, R. J. R. (2007). Adolescents, media, and the law: What developmental science reveals and free speech requires. New York: Oxford University Press. Read More