Is Hip Hop contributing the destruction of the young Black Youth in America? (weapon, extremist)

[Felix C]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

Does Hip Hop culture contribute to the destruction of young Black Youth in America? It seems that many young Americans(especially young black males) idolize and look up to rappers who perpetuate negative stereotypes they portray like materialism, solving every problem with violence, degrading females, not valuing education, homophobism, etc. Is Hip Hop destroying the young Black Youth of this country?

When I traveled throughout the British Caribbean on business in the 1990s and early 2000s most of the clients were professional, middle class blacks who during relevant conversations in our social gatherings-lunch, dinners, etc. would comment their concern that the current new craze in rap is damaging the values of their children.

[Orlandochuck1]

Originally Posted by soanchorless

A lot of the hip hop movement is about social activism, and that is what most of the music was about in the 80s and early 90s. What has become mainstream is a different type of music that basically glorifies fame, money, drugs, sex, and exploiting women, unfortunately. I don't know about violence. I'm not a consessour of hip hop, but I don't get a vibe that it really promotes violence that much. I see more violence glorified in country music (as well as alcohol abuse!).

I don't think that reflects black culture as much as the culture of our whole nation.

However, what I perceive through the media (which may be totally incorrect) is that a lot of youth seem to see that the only way out of poverty is to either become an athlete, drug dealer or hip hop/rap artist. Like, even Eminem raps about how he has to do well with his music career or he won't be able to afford diapers. As if there are no other options to be able to afford diapers? I grew up poor in a trailer park too, but I knew that there were more practical ways to get out of the trailer park! Anyway, that mindset seems kind of rampant (although I may be wrong!) and that is hindering a lot of people's ability to get out of poverty, probably.

But either way, listening to grunge in the 90s didn't make most teenagers into homeless heroin addicts, so I don't think music is the main problem.

These lyrics hardly reflect social activism
By Lil Wayne

A young ***** screaming **** the world and let 'em die
Behind tints, tryna' duck the world and smoking rie
Got my bandanna 'round my head and pants to my feet
And got my eyes fire red and glock on my seat
I'm tryna' stay under intoxication
'Cause I lost my father, and got a daughter, plus I'm on probation
I'm drinking liquor like it's water, getting pissy drunk
And staying away from them lil' broads that trying to give me some
I keep a chopper in the trunk and my heat on my wasteline
Ducking the law, 'cause I ain't tryna' do no FED time
Sometimes I just wish I could be away
But I gotta take care of Reginae and keep macita straight
So I just maintain the struggle and I keep trying
But how can I when my closest people keep dyin'
I ain't lying that the law tryna' bust my clique
But I scream **** the world man, I'm too young for this

[Hook 2x]
Look, I don't curse, but in this verse man, **** the world
I lost my father to a gun and made a little girl
And I'm still thuggin' wit' my *****s tryna' keep it real
And I'm still doing for my mother and I'm payin' bills

Give me a cigarette, my nerves bad
The FEDs said they heard that I know where them birds at
And my old lady say she saw me with anotha Brizzah
And some a the boys shot up my block so now I gotta kill 'em
And teachers keep tellin' my momma that I'm gettin' worse
And now she tripping talking 'bout I need to be in church
And my lil' girl whole family tryna' lie in court
Tryna' put me, a child, on child support
And my own family deny me of what I do 'cause I'm a 'thug and stuff'
Plus, my *****s keep falling to them drugs and stuff
That dope got these *****s melting away
Man they got clowns right around me, killing they self everyday
We keep fighting but they so strong
I know it's hard but don't give up baby hold on
Just keep ya fate, count blessings, and wodie keep ya trust
And grab ya nuts and let 'em know that we don't give a ****
We don't give a ****

[Hook]

I mean the world just ain't gon' never change
So I just keep my head up and my nuts, let 'em hang
Dawg I swear it's very rough out here for the youngstas
Like everybody against me 'cause I'm a young thug
Dear Rabbit, why they have to kill Rabbit?
But I'ma keep you alive, *****, I'm Lil' Rabbit
That's why this lil' ***** be bugging like it's no tomorrow
I only can depend on macita and C-M-R
I try my best to make it through the night and live today
But I'm upset so I'm steady wipin' tears away
And police got me under surveillance when and wherever
Wrecking they brains, tryna' figure where I'm getting that cheddar
I tell my family just leave me a-damn-lone
I can handle all a my business, this lil' man grown
But I try to forget about it and just stand strong
But if everything was cool I wouldn't write this damn song
**** the world

[Ro2113]

Originally Posted by Orlandochuck1

These lyrics hardly reflect social activism

Your reading comprehension needs work.

Originally Posted by soanchorless

A lot of the hip hop movement is about social activism, and that is what most of the music was about in the 80s and early 90s. What has become mainstream is a different type of music that basically glorifies fame, money, drugs, sex, and exploiting women, unfortunately.

The problem is that people are too preoccupied with mainstream and don't realize that there are rappers that do talk about deeper issues then money, drugs and sex. *cough* Macklemore *cough* Mainstream music in general is lacking in social and political commentary and offers nothing more than catchy tunes.

But it's like I said before, mainstream music is only like this because that is what people like to listen to and buy. It's supply and demand, the music industry is an industry which exist to make profits. As consumers, we have more power then we think and especially with the internet at our fingertips there is no excuse. People really need to stop blaming these different forms of media for their problems and the problems of others.

[Red_Devil]

No longer only black males are falling victim, it is a global disease

[Delta-SSiPP]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

Does Hip Hop culture contribute to the destruction of young Black Youth in America? It seems that many young Americans(especially young black males) idolize and look up to rappers who perpetuate negative stereotypes they portray like materialism, solving every problem with violence, degrading females, not valuing education, homophobism, etc. Is Hip Hop destroying the young Black Youth of this country?

Hip Hop is beautiful, it's a form of Art. It's VERY powerful but at the end of the day it's not a rapper job to raise our kids, they have children their own to raise. We as parents must educate our children and the children will educate themselves. It's all entertainment! Just remember when you watching your favorite action movie the same things happening in that movie is what some of these rappers rap
about. I know we all have our opinion, SMH,but I have yet seen a post that say how Hip Hop inspired others worldwide or open up different buisness avenues. People open your eyes, expand your mind, it's a bigger world out there! Peace

[CorderoAries]

Black youth are no more or less destroyed than any other race or group or type of youth.

Most consumers of hip hop are white youth anyways.

Why do people point out or single one group of people over another. This is silly.

[Old Monkey]

In the late 18th century certain people regarded the Viennese Walz as immoral. My generation (Gen X) listened and danced to Hip Hop in the mid 1980s and somehow managed to grow up and become productive citizens. In fact, half of the popular culture that people today worry about has been around in various guises for at least thirty years.

[CoolZombie]

Rap isn't that popular anymore. What rappers are still headlining arena shows? Maybe older ones like Jay Z and Eminem and guys like Drake and Macklemore who are far from gangsta. I think too many of the elderly really have no idea what's going on, they're probably still blaming punk and Twisted Sister for delinquency lol

[Red_Devil]

Originally Posted by CoolZombie

Rap isn't that popular anymore. What rappers are still headlining arena shows? Maybe older ones like Jay Z and Eminem and guys like Drake and Macklemore who are far from gangsta. I think too many of the elderly really have no idea what's going on, they're probably still blaming punk and Twisted Sister for delinquency lol

the President of the nation is a wanna be Rapper now. Not sure how much lower you can go than that

[SPECFRCE]

It's not hip hop or R&B. It's the deeply embedded inequity from academia, Government, and generational ignorance.

Truthful and basic premise one should have encountered with Sociology 101.
Stop viewing their music with squinted eyes and reevaluate the overall institution!