Rap Music

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I’m willing to admit that the “ghetto speak” that my friends slip into is funny.  And I really don’t mind listening to a rap song once in a while because I generally don’t take the music seriously.  But here’s my problem:  taking rap music seriously.

I see that a lot of young adults spend more time listening to crappy music than actually paying attention to the world around them.  Do such people realize that the messages many rap artists push are harmful to them, their families, their friends?

There are lots of young people who listen to rap who don’t live in an inner-city slum and don’t walk through prisons as if they were a revolving door… but they say they can “relate” to those who do.  These young adults grow out of their rebellious teen years, yet, as twenty-somethings, they still feel prolonged anger at all forms of authority.  They go off to school with the chance to become more sophistocated, yet they come back acting like they’ve spent the last 8 months in the ghetto.  Why is that?

Sure, there are dozens of reasons.  And I’m not one to blame the media for all of society’s ills.  (Really, a better target for the blame would be a lack of proper parenting.  Or the rejection of traditional forms of authority by school faculty and administration.)

I place part of the blame on rap music.  And not because I feel hostility towards black culture, but because some of the themes that these artists espouse are not only deplorable– some of them are downright dangerous.

My primary example is Ludacris, because I see him as one of the crown princes of this garbage.  So I’ll illustrate each of my points with some of his own words.

   I caution my younger cousins that might be reading this:  Do not repeat the language that appears in the quoted segments below.  Vulgarity has its purpose, but it is horrendously overused in the song lyrics presented here.

   (Lyrics below are spliced from Ludacris’ “Get Back”, “Stand Up”, “Number One Spot”, “Move, Bitch”, and “Area Codes”.)

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     ” Get down!
       Cause I ain’t got nothin’ to lose,
       and I’m havin a bad day,
       don’t make me take it out on you! “

     ” See I caught him with a right hook,
       caught him with a jab,
       caught him with an upper cut,
       kicked him in his ass. “

     ” I’ve been drankin’ and bustin’ two
       and I been thankin’ of bustin’ you
       upside ya motherf*ckin’ forehead
       and if your friends jump in, ‘Ohhh gurrlll’, they’ll be mo’ dead “

     ” I came (I came), I saw (I saw), I hit him right dead in the jaw (in the jaw). “

Alright.  I can understand the desire to tell others that you’re angry or miserable– that things haven’t been going your way lately.  But not a constant harping on how the world is so unfair that you have no other recourse for your pain but to bring down those around you and/or start fights.  Misery only begets more misery.  So sit down, put your fists in your pockets, and learn to actually solve a problem without lashing out at everybody else.

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     ” I’ve got hoes, in different area codes “

     ” What’s wrong?!  The club and moon is full
       And I’m lookin for a thick young lady to pull
       One sure shot way to get em outta them pants
       Take note to the brand new dance “

     ” Sit back and watch the women get drunk
       as hell, so I can wake up in the morning with a story to tell. “

     ” But Louis Vuitton bras all over your breasts
       got me wanting to put hickies all over ya chest “

     ” No, I ain’t bitter, I don’t give a f*ck
       but I’ma tell you like this bitch
       you better not walk in front of my tour bus “

It makes me wonder… If this guy weren’t already so revered among the thug crowd — if this guy didn’t already have so much money as a result of capitalizing on the antisocial tendencies of others — would he be so popular with women?

Take a lesson from Ludacris, kids–  Having multiple girlfriends at one time is fine.  If you can’t win them over with your dancing, make sure to get ‘em nice and drunk so you can have your way with them later on.  Be up front about what you want– there’s no need for tact or subtlety.  And if things don’t work out, go out of your way to make sure that she knows you’re holding a grudge and that you wish her the worst from then on.

Really, I find this measure of disrespect for women pretty astounding.

So, I have a better idea.  Don’t listen to any of that crap.  Be faithful to one and only one woman.  In love & war, be yourself and let the chips fall where they may.  Make an effort to be charming– maybe even funny.  And if things don’t work out, keep your cool.

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     ” My people outside and they can’t get in
       We gon’ rush the back door and break em in “

     ” Damn right the fire marshall wanna shut us down
       Get us out so someone can gun us down “

     ” Grab the pills cuz we poppin tonight,
       Beat the shit outta security for stoppin’ tha fight “

     ” F*ck the dress codes, it’s street clothes, we all street niggaz “

Apparently the rules of life don’t apply to rap stars.  He and those like him are “oppressed,” so of course they have an excuse to circumvent authority.

Uh, no.  You live in a country where all men are created equal, with equal protection under the law.  Rich or poor, white or black, celebrity or ordinary shmo, whether you think you’re being put down by others or not– if you break the rules, you will face the consequences.

And as an aside–

Those of you who act like thugs — wearing your baseball caps backwards, loosening your pants so much that they hang down and everybody sees your underwear, carrying gold chains around your neck so that everybody knows just how much money you can spend, shifting from side to side and bobbing your head as you walk, and talking like you’ve forgotten how to use the English language to communicate…

Don’t expect to be taken seriously when you do decide to move forward with your lives.  Don’t think that acting like a gangster won’t prejudice your next job interviewer to hire somebody else.  Don’t think that the comforting idealism of “being who you want to be” will allow you to be successful while at the same time presenting yourself as some kind of delinquent.  Get real.

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     ” Watch out for the medallion
       my diamonds are wreckless
       Feels like a midget is hanging from my necklace “

     ” How you ain’t gon’ f*ck!  Bitch I’m me?
       I’m the G*d damn reason you in VIP
       CEO you don’t have to see ID
       I’m young, wild, and strapped like Chi-Ali “

     ” I’m never goin nowhere so don’t try me
       My music sticks in fans veins like an IV
       Flows poison like Ivy, oh they grimy
       Already offers on my 6th album from labels tryin to sign me “

     ” Yes indeed, Ludacris I’m hotter than Nevada
       Ready to break the steerin column on yo’ Impala “

     ” Is it cuz they like my handsome face?
       Is it cuz they like my gangsta ways?
       Whatever it is, they love it “

I’m all for people having a positive self-image, but this is ridiculous.  There’s no need to showcase your money or your popularity.  It’s great to be confident, but there’s no need to worship yourself.  And even if you do, there’s no need for anybody else to see it or hear about it.

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     ” I’m D.U.I., hardly ever caught sober
       and you about to get ran the f*ck over “

     ” Pass the bottles, the heat is on
       We in the huddle all smoking that Cheech & Chong “

I’m not a big fan of drinking & driving or using drugs either.

If you want to risk destroying the life that God and your parents have given you, be my guest.  But nobody needs to hear about it, nor does anyone need to be encouraged to do the same.

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I am aware that a single artist is not representative of hip-hop music in general.  But there are tons of artists like Ludacris who promote violence, the denigration of women, a disregard for authority, vanity, alcohol & drug use, and overall callousness and vulgarity.  They’re all the same.  Everything I’ve said in this entry applies to them.

To those of you who would tell me, “he’s not forcing anyone to do anything”–  well, you’re right.  Above all else, we are responsible for our own choices.  However– don’t underestimate the influence of celebrities on those who don’t understand the choices that they’re making.

Until they’re old enough to see the world for what it really is, children (and unfortunately, a lot of young adults) don’t do all of their thinking for themselves.  Many are tempted to follow the lead of media icons when, instead, they should be taking their cues from their parents.

Don’t underestimate the media’s power in undermining family values.  Celebrities should know better, but they’re not paid to worry about that, so they don’t.

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So, what to do?   Lead by example.

Be polite.  Respect the opposite sex.  Talk your problems out.  Take it easy on the drinking.  Understand your choices, and acknowledge their consequences.

And turn that damn music off.