Music: Gangster Rap

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Today in America numerous teenagers are listening to Gangster rap, which is a form of music in not just limited to the African-American culture, it seems that it is the music of choice to many of our vulnerable youth’s today, it illustrates the lifestyle of being rich and famous. Youths are influenced by this music while hearing it in their cars, at work, while driving, or by turning on the TV. Many teens turn to MTV, VH1 or BET everyday to watch their favorite rap artist in their latest videos. Gangster rap promotes the luxurious lifestyle black rappers attain after they achieve success as well as their experiences on the streets. Even with all the fame and fortune many gangster rappers portray a negative image on and off the camera by being in the spotlight for the use of drugs and committing crimes. With all the publicity and notoriety, they receive for being thugs our youth today want to be just like them. The "Hot Boys,” is a well-known rap group that likes to show off their expensive fancy cars in their videos. Consequently, because of these videos, teens these days are decking out there cars by tinting the windows and putting chrome rims on them. Another big thing to do is put a huge sound system in the trunk so everyone can hear your cars bass coming down the street. With rap, music also comes urban clothing. Some rap stars even have their own clothing line such as, Roca wear, Sean John, No Limit Wear, and many others. The rap stars convince their fans to show off their clothing. When teens listen to the rap music, they hear the lyrics of gang violence, sex, drugs and parties. Many believe that Gangster rap is being related to youthful crime. With artists like Eminem, singing lyrics like, "But I'm not like you. I didn't... ... middle of paper ... ...low-income school districts, and read or tutor young children who may have lost one or both parents to the streets. Aside from teaching the value of service, these can provide a wealth of information about the realities of the lifestyle promoted by gangster rappers. The bottom line is that if we instill values and truth to our children, they will have the power to stand firm against those who seek to profit from them through the illusion and deceit that is the foundation of gangster rap. You cannot stick your head in the sand and expect your child will only look at good stuff. Parents need to know what their children are being exposed to. Certainly, rap is not the only music that portrays negative stereotypes or can negatively affect behaviors. However, there have been nearly 1,000 studies that have looked at the effects that the media has on children's behavior.

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