does rap music influence, glorify and provoke todays' youth to carry guns, knives?

Question

This is that question people always ask when they hear about shootings in their community,. I am british and as of late gun crime and knife crime is on the rise. As always, the government fail to see the practical things that could be done to prevent such events occuring but instead they use a scapegoat such as rap music and its lyrics.

Do you think the lyrics in rap tracks are to blame for this?

Please if you don't even like rap music and will just use this question as an opportunity to say rap is crap or something like that, please don't. This is a serious question for those who feel strongly about this subject.

Also which one song in rap do you think is the worst (in your opinion) in terms of gratuitous violence portrayed in the lyrics? There are many but in your mind, which flat out depicts violence and advocates gun and knife crime?

Cheers, Dave UK

Answer 1

No, I think a lot of people blame rap music for the knife/gun culture we seem to be getting! If people actually stopped and listened to the music they will find that a lot of rap music actually comes from classical and the words are just simply that!

The one genre that is repeatidly used as a scapegoat!

Answer 2

Some rap lyrics glorify violence but not all. Some rappers are against violence, gun culture, etc.

I think it is very short-sighted to blame popular music for youth crime. Most youngsters like rap or some other kind of fashionable music and a only a very few are involved in crime. It doesn't mean they are necessarily influenced by the music; most likely they have met and been influenced by people already involved in crime, but then music promoting any kind of violence is a bad idea.

I don't know which rap song is the worst, but I can tell you which (imho anyway) is the best: 'If You Want Peace, Gotta Work for Peace', Gil Scott Heron.

Answer 3

Honestly I think that rap music is used as an easy target for all sorts of crimes. There are just a handful (and a quarter) of rap or hip-hop songs that have violent lyrics in them. But I don't think that listening to rap music is to blame for shooting or stabbing people. Music doesn't control what people buy or do; no where in any song that I know of has any artist said "go buy a gun and shoot someone in the leg" or "take your kitchen knife and stab yo momma". On the other hand, if stuff like that is what people grow up with, then to me there's a slim to none possibility that rap music could be to blame. I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, and to prove again that rap music is an easy target, have you listened to heavy metal or emo stuff? I would think its just as 'violent' as rap. Is it ever common that people blame heavy metal for crimes? I can't think of any songs where violence is portrayed in lyrics at the moment...except 50 cent's Many men. really it depends on the person's background and not much else...in my opinion. hope this helps ya out!

Answer 4

i do bcos not to forget that American rap music as well as British is highly listened to in the UK and there is alot of things about violence and gun crime etc with the so called "hard life" that people feel they are living up too, and i feel that people are trying to hard to fit this image when they should in fact just be grateful of who they are. It doesn't mean don't enjoy the music or the message behind it...but the youth need to be more careful bcos it is a very influential age.

Answer 5

hi dave, well, i think the media, well the news media, always pin the blame on rap music. besides, whenever a gun crime incident is reported, rap is always an easy target. they want to make it a scapegoat for the upsurge in gun violence. personally, however, i believe otherwise and that is by stating that i do not think that rap music acts as a contributing factor to the increase in violent behaviour amongst youths, especially black youths. if anyone is to blame, it's the idiots who feel it's 'cool' and 'trendy' to own a firearm and shoot people as and when they feel like it. as for the government themselves, instead of highlighting the problem and encouraging kids not to turn to guns, they choose to pussyfoot around the issue and have a go at the media and blame them for society's problems.

the lyrics aren't to blame whatsoever- as a music fan i listen to all genres of music and rap is one of them. i listen to it occasionally, and even though some of the lyrics are very hardcore, abrasive and edgy, they are true to life and depict the harsh realities of life. but it doesn't make me want to go out and buy a gun and shoot people, afterwards. as for which rap song is the worst when it comes to gratuitous violence, i'd say none because the way i see it is that the rapper tells it as it is as if he was narrating a story. it might have been based on their past experiences, but most of them have had a tough upbringing and got into all types of situations; drugs, gang violence, being arrested by police to name. you cannot expect all rap songs to be about love and guys saying i love you all the time.although i dislike it when rappers constantly refer to women as 'bitches' and 'ho's' in their songs

Answer 6

Simple answer yes.
I hate to say it but most rap music is by black people and they glorify guns, money and crime... Mostly in America.
In the UK black and white rappers try to influence the young by talking about thier lives and how to better them in a good way but unfortunately that isn't listened to.

Guns, Money, reputation and crime are what is put to the kids in rap and they embrace it because they think it's cool... It's wrong but it will never change.

Plus the fact that kind of music makes alot of people alot of money so they won't stop doing it despite how much damage it is doing... Money makes the world go round, but the world will stop turning eventually.

Answer 7

i dont think all rap is to blame - mainly gangsta rap. but the thing is, it's not just the lyrics that are to blame - some rappers that have made it to the mainstream actually support racism, you know the whole black/white divide so maybe that's why. they dont admit it, but some do say that black and white rap should be separated.
as for gun crime, many youth of today are exploited to think that they can't get any better than being the majority of the underclass so to them, guns and violence probably appears to be a game rather than a danger.
i would say any song by 50cent is mainly to blame coz lets face it he'd been advertising how "hard" he is by getting involved with guns.

it's terrible, i know.

Answer 8

nah, see the gangs, violence, drug dealing, homeless and all that **** was here way before rap came out, so how could something not even made yet cause things that were here for years before it was made, it doesnt. How ever kids who do not live these lives, for example rich kids who try to be gangsters are probobly the most suseptible to get a fake sense of "gloryfication" from the music, but the music alone doesnt cause those types of kids to go out and do that ****, anyone who says that is just blaming their problems on something that is open to be blamed.

Answer 9

I dont know if it influences people to carry knives and guns but I do think it promotes violence and people wanting to be tough - which may lead to people carrying weapons since they want to appear tough and be a "gangsta". I dont like rap but Eminems stuff is probably the best coz its mostly making fun of stuff, and I cant say what song or artist is the worst coz i dont listen to it. But overall I guess it does influence people to carry weapons but mostly for the peoples reputation and appearance.

Answer 10

Yes I do think it influences, it has become cool to be cruel and rude. It appears to be all about committing crimes and slaughtering, being reprimanded and hating the police, because they interfere with their drugs and prostitution, burglaries and gang wars. You have these gang leaders who have made lots of money through rapping about their own experiences and they stand there with all the bling, diamonds, furs, fast cars, foxy ladies, what teenager would not be influenced or impressed, they would certainly see, that particular goal being achievable. Out of choice, I would not listen to rap, its disturbing and un-graceful. My partner listens to it and has a completely different view than mine. So there you go.