Is rap good or bad for the African American community?

Question

I understand you can't generalize an entire genre of music, so let me be clear which kind of "rap" I'm referring to: the kind that promotes drug use, materialism, disrespect toward public authority, flagrant swearing, objectification of women, and sheer stupidity. Is this kind of music good or bad for the African American community, and does it represent their culture in a positive light?

In response to "abyssinia_7": no, this isn't a trick question. I happen to enjoy some rap music, but no one can deny there are some very negative concepts expressed through the genre. My question is, are these elements of rap of any detriment to those who listen to it, and moreover, does it represent the African American culture in a positive or negative light? How does it affect the black community?

Of course blacks aren't the only ones who listen to rap, but you can't deny it is specific to THEIR culture. There's a lot of death metal rock that I think is disgusting, and I'm sure there's some blacks who listen to it, but it's still an element of WHITE culture. See what I mean?

Answer 1

Is this a trick question?

There is nothing wrong with rap itself. There is something wrong about rapping incessantly about hos, biatches, rims etc. "get out my way _itch! get out my way B'itch'. Have you heard that song?? lol. Need I say more.

It's actually irrelevant how others perceive it. No community is up for a popularity contest. What matters is the 'we' the black community decide against misogynistic b.s.

Answer 2

if you are only talking about the kind that promotes drug use/selling, disrespecting women, etc then yes it does a negative effect on the Black community.

and I say this mainly for two reasons

first of all it's bad for African American youth because many are likely to copy what they see in hip-hop. kids tend to copy things that they see at least to some degree. Since rap is used in so many things (like movies, TV and video games) it makes more and more likely that they will copy things related rap. and since the negative hip-hop is the kind that gets the most air play it is more likely they will copy those negative things.

the second reason that it bad for the Black community is because it influence the way other groups of people see the black community. Many people don't really social people out side of their racial group (either by design or they just happen to live in an area where most of the people look like them.) The only time some people really see Black people is from the media and rap being so big it is likely that is one of their main source of "seeing" the black community. Because they don't get to know Black people they are likely to think these images are true and hold negative views on African Americans.

Answer 3

No it's not because it just raises possible truth to stereotypes involving the Black community, generally thugs, gang bangers, etc. The kind of use of words within these songs should be re worded. If you want to rap about a thug life, do you really have to use the N word, or call women b*****, and talk about killing people? It's not comforting or appropriate for anyone to make a statement that way. And the media is just as bad by making it seem like that type of music or stereotype represents every Black person.




Krazy Libra

Answer 4

The kind of rap you are describing makes black people look bad, but I don't think it bad for the African American community. There are a lot of kids who idealize a lot of the rappers. In high school I had black friends who knew what they wanted to do with their lives and some who didn't. Those who didn't displayed those negative stereotypes proudly and wanted to be rappers. It is my opinion that they will become successful at what they want to do or go to prison. From my perspective I do not believe rap music itself influences our community that greatly.

Answer 5

It would depend on the style of rap.
The audio porn style of rap music benefits no one except the ones making money of of it.

The music industry for the greater part pitches to the lowest common denominator. Where gangsta rap is concerned the lowest common denominator is the young, the impressionable, those with low self esteem, who look upon these artists as heroes/idols, someone they want to be like.

All you have to do is look where the music trend has led the black community, it has not been a good direction.

Answer 6

I believe that rap music is a part of our culture. Of course the type of music that YOU are referring to is not only bad for the African American community, its bad for the world.

Answer 7

Some of it is good some of it is bad. The bad stuff promotes stereotypes of blacks and encourages youth to fit into those stereotypes. I know that its the parents responsibility to keep that from happening but we all know we live an age where TV and the microwave raise children. However, not all of it is bad. Some of it actually sends good messages. Now if only MTV would play that stuff.

Answer 8

This is difficult to answer. I guess I would say that it is negative because the thing black people are portrayed as in American culture are rappers and athletes. If you asked the average white person to name a famous black person it would more than likely be a rapper or athlete as opposed to a famous black scholar.

Answer 9

You must be talking about mainstream rap. Most "mainstream" rap, (the crap you are most likely to see on MTV and BET) are negative and degrading to the black community. The "conscience" rappers like some of the names mentioned above plus The Roots, Talib Kweli, and Common are the rappers that do not talk about the crap that the "mainstream" artist talk about. Some of the conscience rappers can be seen on VH1 soul and MTV2.

Answer 10

It doesn't represent the culture in a positive light. Look at a rap video. They're always talking about shooting someone, having sex, smoking weed, getting bling, getting money, ect. The young black children/white/hispanic/? look up to these people. They want to be like their favorite rapper, and they want quick money. They want to have money like 50 so they're going to go sell drugs like he did, they want the knew pair of jordans so they'll do anything to get them. Look at all these video vixens, and little girls on the street shaking "what dey' momma gave dem'". It's a shame!