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Cameron Hopkins
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
March 22, 2015
Does Hip-Hop Culture Make a More Violent Society
In todays society I am sure that everyone can agree that there is violence. What
isnt agreed upon is the reason why there is violence and what causes it. Some people
think video games is the reason for violence, some think its the news promoting
violence, people also think guns are increasing violence. One thing that gets blamed for
not only influence on violence, but also for the mistreating of women, concert riots, the
glorification of crime, sexism, greed, and Ebonics is hip-hop. (Sanneh, 2007) Since hiphop emerged there has been controversy, which has a prominent place in American
media. Many people have called hip-hop a noise. Patrick Neate claims that no other
popular culture form has had as much constant bad press that hip-hop does. I do not think
that hip-hop is to blame for the violence in the world.

Hip-hop music is mainly known for starting up in 1973 in the New Yorks South
Bronx. At a Halloween party a DJ born in Jamaica named Kool DJ Herc stretched out the
drum break of a song using turntables and playing the break portion of two of the same
records consecutively. This is how breakdancing got its name. Breakdancing is part of
hip-hop culture that grew up in the early stages. In the mid 70s breakdancing and the
extending of drum breaks by DJs dominated hip-hop culture. In 1979 Sugarhill Gang
produced the first successful commercial hit and it was called Rappers Delight.

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Rappers Delight was the song that made me like hip-hop. When I was a small
child my dad would always sing that song to me. Every single night I would always ask
him to sing it to me because I loved the part that said, A Skiddleebebop, we rock, scooby
doo, and guess what, America, we love you. Before my dad started to sing this song to
me I had only heard country music. Rappers Delight made me want dance and move
around, it did not make me anymore violent.

There are potential negative influences of hip-hop music. Research done by Pew
Media in the United States came to the conclusion that over 70% percent of Americans
believe that hip-hop has a negative impact on their lives and society. (Neate, 2008) The
lyrics in many hip-hip songs glorify risky behaviors, including violence, gun use and
substance abuse. They also have misogynistic lyrics. Adams and Fuller (2006) define
misogyny as the hatred or disdain of women and an ideology that reduces women to
objects for mens ownership, use, or abuse (p. 939). The lyrics in hip-hop have become
more violent over the years and have been more aggressive and it is believed by McCall
(1997) that these violent lyrics and themes featured in hip-hop, and that are represented in
the music videos are influencing negative behaviors. McCall thinks that these themes are
shaping the values and attitudes of this generation. Wade and Gunner (2002) said that
negative behaviors including rape, sexual assault, verbal abuse, sexual abuse,
objectifying and insulting women found in hip-hip were easily adapted and accepted.
Common themes in the majority of the literature continue to be the relationship between
hip-hop culture music, sexuality, substance abuse and violence. (Pinckney, 2007) Being

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exposed to the violence can lead to aggression in the viewer though disinhibition. Over
time people that are exposed to many different violent things are desensitized and have a
more accepting view on violence (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2009, p. 169).

In the article, Poetry In Motion, Neate responds to the negative comments about
hip-hop. He explains the origin of hip-hop and that the skills involved with hip-hop,
including rapping and breakdancing started to be a peaceful means of settling gang
disputes. Neate claims that over the past thirty years many rappers have lyrics that
contain positive messages about self-respect and development. Neate was shocked by the
statistics of the Pew Media because hip-hop isnt just a fad; it has been around and is the
only music genre that is usually followed by the word culture. Hip-hop has become the
worlds best selling music genre. Not long ago MTV wouldnt allow rap on their channel,
which is shocking to me because that is almost the only kind of music that MTV plays.
Hip-hop not only dominated the music listened to, but also the fashion, and hip-hop even
has its own movies. Hip-hop also has its own language, comedy and literature. Hip-hop
has made people so successful that Forbes magazine has a list dedicated to hip-hop called
Hip-Hop Rich List. Hip-Hop has its own politics and politicians like Detroit mayor
Kwame Kilpatrick who comedian Chris Rock claims to be Americas first hip hop
Mayer. Since hip hop is its own culture and not just a subculture, when 70% of people
talk about the impact, they arent just talking about the impact it is having on the
generation of their kids, but for the whole society itself. (Neate 2008) There are many
hip-hop songs that promote peace and are non-violent including Do the Right Thing by
Ludacris featuring Common and Spike Lee, Where is the love by Black Eyed Peas

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featuring Justin Timberlake, Runaway Love by Ludacris, How to Love by Lil Wayne,
Tonz O Gunz by Gang Starr just to list a few. Also many songs about the respect of
women including Run the World by Beyonc, U.N.I.T.Y by Queen Latifah, and Love
is Blind by eve. There are many other hip-hop songs that are non-violent and promote
peace and a good life, and rappers like Drake are even known for being respectful to
women. In the early days of hip-hop violent themes were non-existent or had rare
occurrences. Groups like Sugarhill Gang and Grand Master Flash had positive themes
and set the foundation for hip-hop. Profanity and promotion of alcohol and drug were
very rare. Hip-hop has been an opportunity for many young people to express themselves
and be creative and flex their intellectual muscles. Also because hip-hop is so popular and
widely listened to, it can be a great way to communicate positive messages including
awareness of HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and violence. Some
communities dont have access to proper education about these things, but they do listen
to hip-hop. (Pinckney 2007) Also it can communicate religion to people that otherwise
wouldnt be exposed. Artists like Lecrae send out positive messages about turning to
God. He came from the streets so he can connect with certain listeners of hip-hop more
so than others.

I must be in the under 30% that dont believe hat hip-hop culture has a negative
impact. I have never behaved negatively because of a song I listened to, not do I know
anyone that listened to music and behaved negatively. I believe that blaming hip-hop for
violence would be like blaming Food Network for obesity. Throughout all of history there
has been violence and other negative behaviors. Wars happened, murder happened,

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people drank and did drugs. People for this still blame hip-hop culture and the artists even
though bad things happened long before. Though negative things and violence are
glorified in hip-hop, many times they are not glorified. Many artists grew up in bad
situations and violence and abuse is what they know, but it isnt what they liked. They got
away from that lifestyle and in many lyrics talk about how they are grateful to be where
they are now. If an artist sings or raps about negative things, they always get heat for it,
but just because that is what they are singing about, do not mean thats what they are
doing. It is just a job for them, and they are doing what it takes to make money, and the
things they rap about are not the lives they live, or want others to live. I personally
believe that rap is not to blame to people being violent or anything else that people do
bad. If someone listens to a song about people getting killed and then decide to go kill
someone means that that person is mentally unstable and needs to go get some kind of
help. That is a personality disorder and isnt a norm in the society. Though hip-hop
culture is not to blame, it is not doing anything to help either. I believe that is why it gets
as much hate as it does and why people believe that it influences the behaviors of people
on the society. If people say that hip-hop influences bad things, they have to also agree
that it influences good things as well.

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Works Cited
Adams, T.M. & Fuller, D.B. The words have changed but the ideology remains the
same: Misogynistic lyrics in rap music. Journal of Black Studies, 36, (2006)
938957. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Blanchard, Becky. "The Social Significance of Rap & Hip-Hop Culture. The Social
Significance of Rap & Hip-Hop Culture. 26 July 1999. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
McCall, N. Whats going on: New York: Vintage Books. 1997. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Neate, Patrick. "Poetry In Motion." RSA Journal 154.5534 (2008): 24-29. Web. 20 Mar.
2015
Pinckney, Charles. "The Influence of Hip-Hop Culture on the Perceptions, Attitudes,
Values, And Lifestyles of African-American College Students." (2007). ProQuest
Dissertations & Theses. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Rosenberry, J. & Vicker, L. Applied Mass Communication Theory. A Guide for Media
Practitioners. 2009. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Sanneh, Kelefa. "Dont Blame Hip-Hop." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24
Apr. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Wade, B., & Gunner, C.T. Explicit rap music lyrics and attitudes towards rape: The
perceived efforts on African-American college students attitudes Challenge. A
Journal on African-American Men, 58. 1993. Web. 20 Mar. 2015

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