The Impact of the Violent African-American Stereotype in...

This paper will show that the stereotype of the violent, criminal African-American portrayed in rap music lyrics can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for African-Americans. Repeated and long-term exposure to this stereotypical behavior in rap music lyrics can lead to increased aggression and this stereotype becoming accepted as a social norm by African-Americans. I intend to support my argument with examples and analysis of the violent African-American stereotype, and by explaining how the stereotype can become accepted as a social norm. The violence that permeates rap lyrics should come as no surprise because music is only one of the numerous forms of media, and violence in the media is often described as being too†¦show more content†¦According to researchers Christenson and Roberts, â€Å"American adolescents spend†¦between four and five hours a day listening to music†¦[which is] at least as much time as they spend watching standard television fare and more than they spend with their friends outside of school† (8). Music media influences the lives of adolescents in a number of ways. It â€Å"†¦alters and intensifies their moods, furnishes much of their slang [and] provides models for how they act†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Christenson and Roberts 8). Music plays an important role in the lives of adolescents. They spend as much time, if not more, listening to music as they spend watching television, and therefore, music deserves additional scholarly attention. Music is not just music, or ju st a source of entertainment; rather music is â€Å"a major force and presence in contemporary American adolescence† (Christenson and Roberts 11). Besides the belief that music is just music, another popular belief is that, â€Å"Nobody pays attention to lyrics† (Christenson and Roberts 7). This assumption is not completely true or false. Lyrics are often learned accidentally during the listening experience, but almost every adolescent has a favorite song that he or she can recite word for word. Therefore, whether the learning of the lyrics is intentional or not, adolescents do learnShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Effects Of Rap Music In Modern Music And Pop Culture1007 Words   |  5 Pagesyou’re king of African music you’re the king because music is the king of all professions† (Fela Kuti: Music is the Weapon). Rap music has been a staple in modern day music and pop culture since its beginning in the 1970’s in the South Bronx area of New York. Rap started as an underground movement started by many artists and DJ’s (or disc jockeys). It started as a form of expressing oneself and discussing many social and political issues through music. But now in the 21st century, rap has changed dramaticallyRead MoreRap Music And Its Influence On African American Youth1705 Words   |  7 Pages Music and society have always been closely related. For years now music has been apart of people’s everyday lives all around the world. Having so many different genres out there, it makes it easy to be appealing to so many different ethnic backgrounds. However, one type of genre in particular has seemed to grab the attention of a younger generation. Rap music has undoubtedly had its utmost impact on African American youth, since many of the performers themselves are African American. An overtlyRead MoreMusic Has Been A Form Of Self Expression1292 Words   |  6 Pagesyears, music has been a form of self-expression that has u nited groups of people through its historical and traditional meaning. In the 1980’s, a new, more diverse genre took over the music industry by storm., Hip-Hop/Rap. This contemporary genre has raised much controversy over the years from parents, educators, and conservatives. These groups worry that Rap music glorifies negative lifestyle choices such as drugs, violence, sex and gangs; and those lyrics’ influence on youth. Since music is moreRead MoreConflicting Paradigms On Gender And Sexuality1453 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Salerno SYG 1000 September 30th, 2016 Conflicting Paradigms on Gender and Sexuality in Rap Music: Review Introduction: The article I am researching and analyzing is â€Å"Conflicting Paradigms on Gender and Sexuality in Rap Music: A Systematic Review† written by Denise Herd. This article was published in the academic journal â€Å"Sexuality and Culture†, on July 1st, 2000. This article is centered around rap music with its social and cultural significance for youth audiences, all around the world and howRead MoreThe Effects Of Rap Music On Social Behavior Essay1693 Words   |  7 PagesIn society today, it is highly noticed that the role of rap music messages and video images of violence causes an increase in negative emotions, thoughts and behaviors which could lead to violence amongst youth. Rap music has been at the center of concern in regards to the potential harmful effect of violent media on social behavior amongst youth. This potential behavior could be seen in the music video titled â€Å"Kim† by Eminem. In this music video, the storyline, language and sound encourage s hostileRead MoreMisogyny Hip Hop W Sources Essay1571 Words   |  7 PagesMisogyny in hip hop music instills and perpetuates negative stereotypes about women. It can range from innuendos to stereotypical characterizations and defamations. Overt misogyny in rap and hip hop music emerged in the late 1980’s, and has since then been a feature of the music of numerous hip hop artists. Hip hop has had a considerable influence on modern popular culture, saturating mass media through music, radio broadcasts and a variety of other mediums. Gangster rap, the most commerciallyRead MoreThe Sexuality Of African American Women1814 Words   |  8 Pagescan have an impact on how they engage sexually with others and their attitudes toward sexual behaviour, research for this link on African American women has not yet been fully investigated. The scripting that African American women have most frequently been exposed to are those of racist and sexist content and as hip hop is a key form of media that these messages have been conveyed in, it could be said that the scripting in it’s lyrics will further embed sexist views of African American women ontoRead MoreThe Debate Of Hip Hop Music1509 Words   |  7 Pagescertain genres of music have an impact on the behavior of listeners, whether that impact is positive or negative. Would a person steal because of a song the y heard? Would a person murder another human due to the lyrics of their favorite song? Questions like these are often asked and very rarely answered. The main genre of debate: hip hop music. Though the debate continues to go on in today’s society, the answer has never been given. In fact, some research shows that hip -hop music can have a generallyRead MoreThe Symptoms Of Taking Rap Music1823 Words   |  8 PagesAm Lit P.3 April 9, 2015 The Symptoms of Taking Rap Music Music is one of the greatest ways of expressing one’s personal feelings and experiences through the use of story-telling. One of the most popular genres of music is rap or also known as hip hop. Hip hop music has a profound effect, both positive and negative on many of today’s youth which transforms and evolves American culture and society. What started it all was the origin of â€Å"gangsta rap†, which was popularized by gangster rappers suchRead More Bigger Thomas, of Native Son and Tupac Shakur Essay6110 Words   |  25 Pagesthey must posses and understand it. -- Richard Wright In 1996, famed rapper and entertainer Tupac Shakur[1] was gunned down in Las Vegas. Journalistic sentiment at the time suggested he deserved the brutal death. The New York Times headline, Rap Performer Who Personified Violence, Dies, suggested Shakur, who was twenty five when he died, deserved his untimely death. - (Pareles, 1996) A product of a fatherless home, raised poor in the ghettos of San Francisco, Shakur, notes Ernest Harding of