I guess not.
Posted on 02/22/2007 6:29:57 AM PST by Ultra Sonic 007
“Video hos,” and “Skeezers,” are two terms for women who willingly star in rap music videos. As the president of Rush Communications points out, “we never have any difficulty finding women to appear in the videos”. Such videos are increasingly becoming part of the gangster rap subgenre, home to offensive lyrics and images that glorify misogyny, emphasize promiscuous sexuality, and venerate violence. Racial epithets and swears are common, as is the advocacy of crime. The gangster rap culture that now attracts a large portion of the modern youth demographic – the black youth demographic in particular – is akin to a poison of the mind. Its very nature is one that deifies thuggery and aggression; although not all rap is of this nature, gangster rap is extremely unhealthy for black culture. The most troubling thing is that gangster rap, although initially a consequence of a decrepit inner-city culture, has also become a cause of that culture. The “ideals” of gangster rap have tainted a great deal of children, and the emulation of such unpleasant qualities will only perpetuate the problems plaguing blacks today.
Gangster rap, despite its vulgar nature, has managed to saturate the consciousness of many young blacks today, particularly those living in inner city areas. Its rise can be attributed to several factors, among which includes the lack of family stability. The marriage rate of black women of the ages 15-17 between 1947-1977 fell by 80%, while it fell by 60% for black women between the ages of 18 and 19. In contrast to this, the birth rate for unmarried teens increased from 36% to 86% between 1950 and 1981. Fewer black women are marrying, but more and more are giving birth out of wedlock. A stable family with loving parents is the ideal environment for raising children, and this environment is – sadly – becoming a minority among inner-city blacks. Since black children are five times more likely to live in a family dependent on welfare, they are placed into a situation where the incentive to succeed financially is mitigated. After all, their income is provided for free; working for a living becomes less attractive by comparison. Without this incentive, working hard for a better life becomes a less viable option. This situation is only worsened by the lack of a father.
This brings up another contributing cause: the lack of a good role model. America is still a largely patriarchal society, even though many women have taken over the role of being the primary source of income for their individual families. The father – the “man of the house” – is usually looked to for guidance and support, and he also serves as the protective force for the family. However, an overwhelming number of black households are supported by mothers instead of fathers; in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 3,060 black households were maintained by mothers, whereas 335 were maintained by fathers. According to Haki R. Madhubuti, Director of the Institute of Positive Education, today’s black children do not have a father from which to learn from. Children attain a great deal of knowledge via imitation, be it by imitating mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or the people on television. The lack of fathers results in mothers who have to provide for their children on their own. Without a stable household, young children seeking solace from their troubles turn to those with whom they can relate: in this case, rap artists who have endured the trials of growing up in a tough inner-city environment. This is how they are introduced to gangster rap. Unfortunately, the message sent by gangster rap only promulgates the idea that such behavior is okay. It is only encouraging attitudes that are detrimental to black people, both in the short-term and long-term.
Granted, rap and gangster rap tends to merely represent a picture of a culture that encompasses drugs, promiscuity, and gang violence. Many rap artists have defended their own work, saying that they only paint a picture of what’s really happening. After all, as Ice-T declared to law-enforcement agencies seeking to boycott his song “Cop Killer”, “they cannot possibly touch me without killing me”. There is the First Amendment of the Constitution to consider; rappers who produce gangster rap have free speech rights like everyone else. However, with every right comes responsibility. Even if their songs are a reflection of reality, it should be noted that the obscenities such artists sing about are being emulated and idolized by youths, particularly those without a firm family foundation to fall back upon. In absence of a family role model, black children look elsewhere for role models to idolize. Without proper teaching and guidance, they end up in a situation where they are not listening to their elders, or to their teachers. The ones they look to for guidance are those who have “gang-banged”, because they can empathize with those who have also had a rough childhood. This leads to the idolization and emulation of unsavory and immoral qualities.
The lack of stable families has led to a number of black children who have grown without proper guidance and teaching. The progenitors of rap music sung about their own experiences, allowing for a new generation of children to empathize with them. Many of today’s black youth are without fathers, so they look to rap artists for role models. This is how the ideals of gangster rap are spread, and many young children begin emulating these ideals. It is a deadly cycle that is self-perpetuating; although once a consequence, gangster rap is now as much of a cause as it is a consequence of these unfortunate circumstances. Black people owe it to themselves to try and mitigate the impact gangster rap has on their progeny; otherwise, the message of “gang-banging”, violence, drug use, and misogyny will spread to the next generation, and the cycle will only continue on.
The only "partiarchs" I see are people like Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd. ;)
There is NO 1st Amendment right to obscene or vulgar speech. The SCOTUS has rules on this. The 1st Amendment is about protecting IDEAS from government censorship - it is not about girls shaking their booty or about Howard Stern talking about anal sex...
I guess not.
Wow ... rap music is vulgar, promotes violence, and denigrates women. Who would thunk it?
If Jessie Jackson and his ilk really cared two cents for the black community, they would be fighting against rap music, cash advance paycheck cashing places, and furniture rental stores, all of which have done more to hurt poor blacks than just about anything else in modern times.
Which is what the "with every right comes responsibility" line succeeding it was for.
Kind of like the "you can't shout 'fire!' in the theater" clause.
...THAT is what "gangsters" are all about and how they end up. Many of today's "gangster rap" crowd are finding this out on their own...as they should. Thye should be careful what they emulate, be careful of the stereotype that is attempted to be glorified.
You're just a racist. ;^D
"Well, I have a dream too!"
Reminds me of an old Kelly Bundy quote: "Yesterday I was a nobody, but tomorrow I'll be a slut in a Bon Jovi video."
The funny thing is that many of these rappers are not "street". Many of them are just emulating what they think street is like. When they make a few bucks, the real street kids get away from the street. They don't try to get back to it. I doubt Ice whoever or Snoop has seen the street in decades.
'Chuck D' tried to turn rap into a revolution but he didn't sing about cars and ho's and bling so people just blew him off. Sux2bchuck. He was going to save his people and ended up in the discount rack.
Unfortunately "gangsta'" rap music and its violent culture are finding a ready market on our local Indian reservations where youth unemployment is high and drug abuse common. Gangsta' gangs are already having turf wars on the reservatiions.
One thing you can say about todays modern young woman.
"There is no shortage of sluts."
Note that the bullets don't appear to have penetrated the body of the car.
The documentary they have on the ambush includes a BAR. I don't recall that the car was anything but an ordinary car.
Anyone?
I agree with you, I have always wondered why "so called black leaders" like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton don't go behind real issues that are affecting poor blacks. For instance, children growing up with no father in the home. We already know why Jesse Jackson won't touch that issue. I think that would solve a lot of problems. I am a 27 year old black woman married with 2 daughters. Half of the black females in my age group with kids are not married or have never been married.
My church had a 3 day seminar back in August on the truth about rap music and hip hop in general. I missed the sermons I was out of town at the time. But they said by the second day of the sermon you had a lot of people bringing their rap CDs to church so they could throw them away. The work the "so-called black leaders" like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton should be doing, is the work that people like my pastor and other pastors are doing in their churches.
Pinging the black conservative ping list!
Pinging the moral absolutes ping list!
Well that is just like the rappers I like to call conscious rappers, the ones that don't rap about social issues going on. These rappers barely get any attention. I remember one were I was younger that got a little attention it was called "Be a father to your child". Very good message but a lot of people didn't play the song.
Now people like Kirk Franklin is a different situation because they will always have their following among young Christians.
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A YOunger woman I work with (24) was telling me about her friends woes. Her friend was involved with a guy who had a serious relationship with another woman and the friend was stressing and thinking about not taking a job in NYC becasue of this guy who just wouldn't commit. I told her, "Why should he, he's getting his milk for free." She replied, "Milk isn't hard to get in my generation." Nuff said.
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