Is Today's Music Negatively Affecting the Youth?

[Neo-Logic]

Is today's music negatively affecting the youth? With the advent of Hip Hop and Rap, new Rap artists are emerging in large numbers with more songs than ever. Today's Rap and Hip Hop songs are mostly about sex, gang related things, and often meaningless crap. 50 cent's Candy Shop and Snoop Doggy Dogg's Holiday Inn are good examples. They were two popular songs i'll recite some lyrics for those who are unfamiliar with these songs.

Candy Shop by 50 cent -
I take you to the candy shop
I'll let you lick the lollypop
Go 'head girl, don't you stop
Keep goin 'til you hit the spot (whoa)
[Olivia]
I'll take you to the candy shop
Boy one taste of what I got

Holiday Inn by Snoop Doggy Dogg - (this is what it starts out with)
Oh I know you got that bomb *** pus.sy ma,
I know you got that bomb,
I know you got that bomb *** pus.sy ma,
I know you gota that bomb bomb,

Songs like these and more are very sexual and perverted. It's ok that it's being sold on cd's and such, but the media peddles them all around. These songs are played on the air with moans and sexual promiscuous noises replacing such words like pus.sy. These songs are acted out for music videos which are played on television stations and the internet.

"
The average child spends more time watching TV than in school.
On average, kids spend about 20 or more hours each week watching TV, which is more time than is spent in any other activity besides sleeping. "

With today's kids spending so much time watching t.v and often these music videos and hearing these songs on radio and such, are they being negatively influeced by the media and more importantly, the music industry faster, and at younger ages? With so many songs being made (often just for the rapper to make some fast cash) about sex, violence, drugs, using drugs, selling drugs, and other gang related actions.

I'm even beginning to see the effects of it on my 10 year old cousin. His AIM SN (and yes he has an AIM sn, but I keep a close eye on the kid) was (before I made him change it) BigPimpin###. The other day, I went to his school to pick him up and keep in mind this is an elementary school. While I was there, I saw many kids with baggy pants, down to their thighs, wearing "blings," walking like one of their legs was broken (the limp walk) already dressing like a lot of the hip-hop and rappers you would see out there.

This disturbed me greatly. For one, I couldn't even believe that parents would let their kids sag their pants or buy for them these types of clothings. They're in elementary school for god's sakes. Thank god my cousin doesn't dress or act like that and if I have anything to say about it, he never will.

I think the quality of music has gone down greatly. A lot of the new songs coming out are just crap in my opinion. They're about nothing but sex, drugs, and gangs. While this maybe okay for adults, it's undoutably affecting today's youth because the television and the radio are spreading these music like wildfire.

 

[Ori]

Yes and no. You have to remember that the majority of mainstream music is awful.
However, there is a lot of good underground stuff if you got time and money.

 

[Sunstone]

Specifically, what do you think are the detrimental effects of this kind of music on kids?

 

[Neo-Logic]

Crapola! Wrong title.

Can an admin please change the title of my thread to "Is today's music negatively affecting the youth?" :bonk:

Thx lots.

[EDIT] thank you

 

[Sunstone]

Crapola! Wrong title.

Can an admin please change the title of my thread to "Is today's music negatively affecting the youth?" :bonk:

Thx lots.

Done.

 

[Neo-Logic]

Specifically, what do you think are the detrimental effects of this kind of music on kids?

For one, it's making a lot of things sound less dangerous than it really is, such as the use of drugs and alcohol.

They're very sexual, should children be exposed to these types of acts this early in life, and especially in this way where it's not educational?

They often have bad language in them. Why this is bad should be self-explanatory.

 

[Sunstone]

Do you think there is a relationship between this kind of music and violence in children?

 

[Neo-Logic]

Do you think there is a relationship between this kind of music and violence in children?

That's a pretty broad question. I don't really know, but I can only imagine that there would be in some and possibly not in other children. Refering back to the old adage "children are like sponge," they are constantly absorbing information and subjecting them to the types of language, actions, and situations that a lot of these raps and hip hop songs contain sure aren't helping.

 

[Neo-Logic]

Besides violence, I can think of drugs, gangs, and sex that a lot of the rap and hip hop music out there openly discuss. Any of these could subconsciously make suggestions in children and could influence their decisions for the worse later on in their life when they might face these things.

 

[michel]

Do you think there is a relationship between this kind of music and violence in children?

I am not sure about violence, but I see the music as desensetizing kids into accepting bad language, an apparently permanent focus on sex, lack of respect, rebellion against the establishment.....

Yes, I do think music is negatively affecting the youth. There again, the music of the sixties was much the same - although I was far too immature, uneducated and innocent to understand most of what was going on!

 

[Sunstone]

I'm aware that there are numerous studies which show a clear link between violence on TV and in movies and violent behavior in children. But I'm unaware of anyone having studied whether music has as much influence on children as does TV and movies. Does anyone know more about this?

 

[Neo-Logic]

I am not sure about violence, but I see the music as desensetizing kids into accepting bad language, an apparently permanent focus on sex, lack of respect, rebellion against the establishment.....

Yes, I do think music is negatively affecting the youth. There again, the music of the sixties was much the same - although I was far too immature, uneducated and innocent to understand most of what was going on!

Today's rappers, like 50 cent for example, make their songs about their lives. The bad thing about this is that their lives are revolved around gangs and violence. 50 cent talks about his getting shot repeatedly, the media and the news inflate the situation to get their stories, and the rappers become more popular. Kids start listening to their music, being subjected to subconscious propaganda and it makes it seem as if violence and gangs are acceptable and okay since they hear songs about it and see it on the televison so often.

 

[fromthe heart]

Hi aunggu2002...Yes and no...I think if a child is brought up with a certian type of music then they are gonna sway in the direction of that type. Any other music will not hold their attention for long. The kids that are into some of todays music are definately being affected by it. They don't know what normal behavior is and as Michel said and they are being desensitized to what is happening in life. To them the rules are as they hear in some of those songs. Some kids are the same way in their sexual habbits but that's a whole different issue. Rap can be bad or depending on who is doing it it can be ok...Rap is one type of music that drives me right up the way so I can't say much more than what I have on it. Most of todays music doesn't do a thing for a kids self respect...so all in all I'd say most of todays music is trashy and not fit to listen to for our youth.

 

[njcl]

i wont listen to music on radio as in my opinion that media is under satans control,rap music is of the devil with its ganbanging lyrics [GANGBANGING = GROUP RAPE & assasinations},ok in my day it was the sex pistols but they look like saints compared to this lot

 

[Neo-Logic]

hi fromtheheart

Rap and Hip Hop are a type of music and thus self-expressions. I think they're absolutely okay for adults, but for children, most are unfit for them. There are some rap and hip hop songs out there that does not contain vulgar language or any of the things mentioned previously, but rather are just about love and hardship in general. Those I think are okay for anyone to listen to, but the rest contains at least one or more of the things mentioned before.

I was really into rap and hip hop until about a year or two ago (i'm 17). That is until I started hearing rap songs on the most meaningless things ever. This and the fact that my cousin moved around me and started looking up to me made me stop. I wanted to set good examples for him because he's had a rough life. I have to admit though, there are some that pumps me up like Eminme's "Till I Collapse." When I feel like I can't do something, hearing this song helps a lot (the song is about not giving up).

 

[njcl]

i admit i like that eminem song hmmm from his film and i dont mind a couple of other rap songs,as long as it has a good tune & non violent/sexual lyrics then ok

 

[Loki]

I doubt it. Music is an outlet for youth these days, and most kids won't do something just because a music icon does it. I agree that mainstream music is pap. I've been getting into the local music scene lately, and it's a breath of fresh air.

There is the issue of bad language, but there are very few artists who excessively use bad language. I'm not keen on rap or hip hop because of the "gangsta" themes. (Although I love de la soul, because that is good rap w/o gangsta themes.) And a lot of heavy metal which is inaudiable will have plenty of swearing. But other than that, most music is quite good.

If there's one thing I don't like about music these days is the sex. In the indie music I generlly listen to, it's not much of an issue, but it gets tiresome seeing some pop starlet wearing little clothing, and it's quite discomforting to see kids emulate this.

Violence isn't an issue for me. It's the oversexualisation of pop music. However, music that isn't all that commercial doesn't suffer this problem as much.

As for the lyrics, people can get up in arms about anything. I don't like a lot of rap music for its violent lyrics, and glamourisation of violence, but I have nothing against people telling it like it is. I often say that a rapper can only have one successful record, because once they aren't from the street, and live in amansion, they can't tell it like it is any more.

Many people have criticised eminem for his lyrics, but under close analysis, they're quite witty, and are designed specifically to stir up controversy and raise issues. Eminem is actually quite intelligent, and some of his songs are clever. i can remember that one song "stan" about an overzealous fan, and i thought that was quite a good song. yes, it had a bit of violence in, but it wasn't being glamourised.

I think some people are just being provocative for the sake of it, being provocative to induce thought, or being provocative in order to make money, or give themselves an image. And that's all music is these days - Image. Music needs to revert to being about the music. I've seen people play at my local pub, and they are just themselves. Some are shy, some are nice, some are a bit rough around the edges, but they don't put an image on - they just play, and it's just the music that matters. i wish all music could be like that, but it can't be, as music alone doesn't sell records. It has to be given an image and be marketed.

 

[fromthe heart]

hi fromtheheart

Rap and Hip Hop are a type of music and thus self-expressions. I think they're absolutely okay for adults, but for children, most are unfit for them. There are some rap and hip hop songs out there that does not contain vulgar language or any of the things mentioned previously, but rather are just about love and hardship in general. Those I think are okay for anyone to listen to, but the rest contains at least one or more of the things mentioned before.

I was really into rap and hip hop until about a year or two ago (i'm 17). That is until I started hearing rap songs on the most meaningless things ever. This and the fact that my cousin moved around me and started looking up to me made me stop. I wanted to set good examples for him because he's had a rough life. I have to admit though, there are some that pumps me up like Eminme's "Till I Collapse." When I feel like I can't do something, hearing this song helps a lot (the song is about not giving up).

I don't mean to saound condescending and so I hope you won't take it that way but sounds as if you are a 17 year old that is growing up into adulthood...some people don't ever get the revelation you did..give yourself a nice pat on the back from this old lady of 50...well done! It's nice to know there is hope out there in our youth...I'm sure you'll inspire someone with what you learned about what some music can do to our youth!

 

[Doc]

I think people said the same things about comics years ago. Calling kids to be violent and vigilantes. See, I love soul music and Jazz. Much of it talks about passion and making love. This does not mean I am going out to have sex because of this.

 

[Circle_One]

ok in my day it was the sex pistols but they look like saints compared to this lot

Saints? Considering Sid Vicious (the most popular of the Pistols) murdered his girlfriend and died of a heroin overdose...single-handedly becoming the poster child of what loads people considered the punk movement to be about: The whole Live Fast, Die Young lifestyle (though I don't agree with this assessment). So I don't see how you could consider the Pistols as saints compared to the music of today.

In all generations there has been and will continue to be music that people just don't agree with and that people rant and rave about how it's bad for the children. While I agree that this kind of rap obviously could be damaging to today's youth, it's no worse than girls dressing in order to match the pop-star-of-the-month like Britney Spears and so on. It's not only the music itself that could possibly influence the kids...but yet, in spite of all this, I still semi-disagree that it influences kids to extreme extents.

If a child is not educated enough to know that simply because he hears a bad word in a song, does not mean he can use it himself, then I wonder what's wrong with the parents that they 1) are letting their children listen to this music if they know their kids are so easily influenced, and 2) aren't teaching their kids that simply because someone else does something, doesn't mean they should and/or are allowed to do it.

People always want to pass the blame off to someone else. Blame Marilyn Manson because some kid shoots up a school, blame the video games or the movies because some kid shows violent behaviour, blame the rappers because some kid thinks it's cool to swear or do drugs or be in a gang. How about blaming the parents for not teaching their kids what is ACTUALLY right and what is ACTUALLY wrong. Blame the parents for not teaching their kids the difference between FICTION and REALITY. For not teaching them that while someone in a video game or movie can get shot in the head and survive, it is NOT THE SAME as someone in real life getting shot in the head. Blame the parents for not teaching their kids that what they see, hear or play is NOT REAL and/or NOT RIGHT and should in NO WAY be thought of as real and/or right.

Kids are able to think for themselves and distinguish between reality and fiction a lot more than adults give them credit for. I think we should STOP blaming other people and really look into why these kids act in these certain ways.

If these kids are so easily influenced by outside forces, then it's time to stop worrying about the music they listen to and think about why they are so easily influenced, think about why they feel the need to do something simply because someone else does it. If Bobby told you to jump off a bridge, would you? If the answer to this question is yes than this child has deeper underlying issues that are in no way there simply because of the music he listens to. Obviously someone brought him up believing he should follow others to fit in, rather than teaching him that it's ok to be himself and NOT follow other people or music or movies or whatever.

Sorry if a lot of this post consisted of incoherent babbling, I just get upset when society constantly passes the blame on matters like this.