Gangsta rap under arrest: does hip-hop need to change its bad rap? - News Debate

Current Events, Dec 13, 2002

JAY-Z'S LATEST SINGLE makes you want to move, Missy Misdemeanor Elliot's newest song makes you want to hum along, and Eminem's lyrics make you think. But could rap music be hazardous to your health?

Yes, say some rappers, music industry executives, and teen listeners. They have formed a movement called Hip-Hop 4 Peace to tone down rap music's violent lyrics and reputation. The members say that when hip-hop artists rap about drugs and gangs, they make dangerous activities sound cool to young listeners.

But critics of the movement say hip-hop gets a bad rap because of a few artists and that most rappers have good intentions. They say it is important for people to learn about the situations hip-hop artists are trying to portray.

Turning the Tables

Hip-Hop 4 Peace supporters say many rappers recount tales of drug use and gangs without conveying that the activities are dangerous and illegal. They say kids who look up to the artists may take the songs to heart and turn to drugs and gangs. "You got to tell them selling drugs is against the law," youth activist Pee Wee Kirkland told newspapers. "And then you got to explain to them that Jay-Z [isn't] in Brooklyn selling drugs."

Hip-Hop 4 Peace members also point out that too often, rappers' lives mimic their vicious songs. Rappers Tupac Shakur and Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace made headlines in the 1990s when a feud erupted between hip-hop crews on the East and West coasts. When the fighting stopped, both rappers were dead. In 1999, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs was arrested after a shooting incident in New York. Though he was cleared of the charges, his arrest was national news.

Plenty of Rhyme or Reason

Critics of Hip-Hop 4 Peace say rap music is written with artistic--not criminal--intent. They say hip-hop, which has its roots in Brooklyn, N.Y., offers a view of inner-city life that people should learn from. Even if it makes some people uncomfortable, it's important to share, they say. "We conceal ourselves and our pain in our art. Hip-hop allows us to release it, to get it off our chests," Alonzo Westbrook, author of a hip-hop dictionary, told The Washington Times.

Rap industry players and fans say a few bad-boy rappers give hip-hop its "gangsta" reputation. They say not all rap is based on violence. Run-DMC, one of the earliest rap groups, had hit songs about sneakers and staying drug-free. "You can have a hip-hop artist like Mos Def, who has a searing political critique, but it will never be talked about in the same way as some guy who's talking about whopping somebody," said Guthrie Ramsey, an assistant music professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

What do you think? Do rappers need to clean up their act? Why or why not?

Get Talking

Ask students if they listen to rap music. If so, do they pay attention to the lyrics? What kinds of messages do they take away from the songs? Do they think rappers are good role models? Explain.

Background

* Hip-hop ranked third for sales revenue in the U.S. music market last year. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, rap/hip-hop accounted for 11.4% of sales revenue. It trailed rock, which accounted for 24.4%, and pop, which accounted for 12.1%. Following hip-hop were R&B/urban, country, religious, jazz, classical, soundtracks and new age.

* In 2001, hip-hop jumped ahead of country music in the hearts of Americans for the first time. According to BBC News, 12.9% of Americans listed rap/hip-hop as their favorite type of music. Rock music held the lead, with a quarter of Americans preferring it. Rounding out the list were country at 10.7%, R&B/urban at 9.7% and pop at 8%.

Doing Moro

Have students research the history of hip-hop to help them see how the industry has evolved since its creation. Has it always sparked controversy? Have them pay attention to changes in rap's subject matter, audience, and popularity. Ask students how these three factors might affect how hip-hop is perceived.

Link It

Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council, a group that helped create Hip-Hop 4 Peace: http://www.hiphopsync.com/

Rap songs written by kids: http://www.gigglepoetry.com/contestwinners /rap.html