What makes a man?

Question

I saw an episode of Independent Lens on PBS recently. It was on Rap Music (which I'm not a fan of). However, it posed an interesting idea as it relates to rappers and the mindset that you have to be "hard" to the world in order to be taken seriously, in order to be taken as a man.
That made me wonder, what do other cultures think "being a man" is? What do I think? What do you fine people on YA think? Does society value certain traits that you don't?
Tell me YA, What makes a man?

Answer 1

My grandad used to tell me the measure of a man is how he treats his mama, his wife , his sisters, his daughters ,all women. If he provides well for them, protects them, listens to them when they hurt or when they have opinions he may not always agree with. That ' real' men may not always show their feelings, but you can tell who they are by their actions and their words . They treat the people in the world with dignity and respect and do the best they know how to serve the world.

I seem to think Sidney Poitier said something similar in his book Measure of a Man.

Answer 2

a rapper is the furthest thing from being a man. are you kidding me? what good does singing a rap song going to help you with real skills to survive.