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Cameron Hopkins
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
March 22, 2015
Does Hip-Hop Culture Make a More Violent Society
In todays society I am sure that everyone can agree that there is violence. What
isnt agreed upon is the reason why there is violence and what causes it. Some people
think video games is the reason for violence, some think its the news promoting
violence, people also think guns are increasing violence. One thing that gets blamed for
not only influence on violence, but also for the mistreating of women, concert riots, the
glorification of crime, sexism, greed, and Ebonics is hip-hop. (Sanneh, 2007). Since hiphop emerged there has been controversy, which has a prominent place in American
media. Many people have called hip-hop a noise. Patrick Neate claims that no other
popular culture form has had as much constant bad press that hip-hop does. I do not think
that hip-hop is to blame for the violence in the world.

There are four main components of hip-hop, which include DJing, MCing, break
dancing, and graffiti. The disk jockey, which is known as the DJ, is the person that plays
the music. The emcee is the person who raps over the music. These two componetes
make up rap music. Graffiti is art on walls and places where it isnt suppose to be. Break
dancing is a style of dance. None of these things are violent or negative, but can be when
used the wrong way. Hip-hop music is mainly known for starting up in 1973 in the New
Yorks South Bronx. At a Halloween party a DJ born in Jamaica named Kool DJ Herc

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stretched out the drum break of a song using turntables and playing the break portion of
two of the same records consecutively. This is how breakdancing got its name.
Breakdancing is part of hip-hop culture that grew up in the early stages. In the mid 70s
breakdancing and the extending of drum breaks by DJs dominated hip-hop culture. In
1979 Sugarhill Gang produced the first successful commercial hit and it was called
Rappers Delight. (Blanchard).

Rappers Delight was the song that made me like hip-hop. When I was a small
child my dad would always sing that song to me. Every single night I would always ask
him to sing it to me because I loved the part that said,
I said a hip hop, the hippie to the hippie the hip hip a hop, and you don't stop, a
rock it to the bang bang boogie, say up jump the boogie, to the rhythm of the
boogie, the beat. A Skiddleebebop, we rock, scooby doo, and guess what,
America, we love you 'Cos you rocked and a rolled with so much soul, you could
rock 'til a hundred and one years old. I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast,
but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast rock it up, Baby Bubba! Baby Bubba
to the boogie da bang bang da boogie to the beat, beat, it's unique. Come on
everybody and dance to the beat!
Before my dad started to sing this song to me I had only heard country music. Rappers
Delight made me want dance and move around, it did not make me anymore violent.
The song is literally all about random situations, and random words and sounds, and
getting people up and dancing. It even talks about loving America, which isnt negative

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or violent in anyway, and this song was the birth of rap and couldnt effect anyone
negatively.

There are potential negative influences of hip-hop music. Research done by Pew
Media in the United States came to the conclusion that over 70% percent of Americans
believe that hip-hop has a negative impact on their lives and society. (Neate, 2008) The
lyrics in many hip-hip songs glorify risky behaviors, including violence, gun use and
substance abuse. They also have misogynistic lyrics. For example, X-Raided has an
awful song that says I know she saw me when she started walking faster, I grabbed the
glock and I was just about to blast her, but then I stopped because I thought it'd be much
better, if the bitch is still alive then the p**** gonna be wetter. It is songs like this that
give rap such a bad name, but these kinds of lyrics are found in other genres too. Like in
the country song Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks they say
Right away Mary Anne flew in from Atlanta on a red eye midnight flight. She held
Wanda's hand as they worked out a plan and it didn't take 'em long to decide that
Earl had to die, goodbye Earl. Those black-eyed peas, they tasted alright to me,
Earl You're feelin' weak? Why don't you lay down and sleep, Earl Ain't it dark
wrapped up in that tarp, Earl
There are also rock songs that are violent and have negative lyrics. Bullet For My
Valentine, whose name is even violent, has a song called Hit the Floor and in the song
they talk about rape and killing saying
I creep up from behind, touch your neck, move down your spine, you take a look
and breathe so sharp, just a matter of time Dont scream I ask of you, but then

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you let one out and now its time to go. I come down on you like a ton of bricks,
all over so its time to go
Adams and Fuller (2006) define misogyny as the hatred or disdain of women and an
ideology that reduces women to objects for mens ownership, use, or abuse (p. 939).
New paragraph
The lyrics in hip-hop have become more violent over the years and have been
more aggressive and it is believed by author Nathan McCall (1997) that these violent
lyrics and themes featured in hip-hop, and that are represented in the music videos are
influencing negative behaviors. McCall thinks that these themes are shaping the values
and attitudes of this generation. Wade and Gunner (2002) said that negative behaviors
including rape, sexual assault, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, objectifying and insulting
women found in hip-hip were easily adapted and accepted. Common themes in the
majority of the literature continue to be the relationship between hip-hop culture music,
sexuality, substance abuse and violence. (Pinckney, 2007). Being exposed to the violence
can lead to aggression in the viewer though disinhibition. Over time people that are
exposed to many different violent things are desensitized and have a more accepting view
on violence (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2009, p. 169).

In the article, Poetry In Motion, Patrick Neate responds to the negative

comments about hip-hop. He explains the origin of hip-hop and that the skills involved
with hip-hop, including rapping and breakdancing started to be a peaceful means of
settling gang disputes. Neate claims that over the past thirty years many rappers have
lyrics that contain positive messages about self-respect and development. Neate was

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shocked by the statistics of the Pew Media because hip-hop isnt just a fad; it has been
around and is the only music genre that is usually followed by the word culture. Hip-hop
has become the worlds best selling music genre. Not long ago MTV wouldnt allow rap
on their channel, which is shocking to me because now that is almost the only kind of
music that MTV plays. Hip-hop not only dominated the music listened to, but also the
fashion, and hip-hop even has its own movies. Hip-hop also has its own language,
comedy and literature. Hip-hop has made people so successful that Forbes magazine has
a list dedicated to hip-hop called Hip-Hop Rich List. Hip-Hop has its own politics and
politicians like Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who comedian Chris Rock claims to be
Americas first hip hop Mayeor. Since hip hop is its own culture and not just a
subculture, when 70% of people talk about the impact, they arent just talking about the
impact it is having on the generation of their kids, but for the whole society itself. (Neate
2008). Blanchard claims that it is not hip-hop that creates violence in American Society,
but that the disparities in economic and political power cause violence. She also says that
the cutting of programs that provide social services will only make the problem worse.
Also censorship will not keep violence away from American culture.

New paragraph
There are many hip-hop songs that promote peace and are non-violent including
Do the Right Thing by Ludacris featuring Common and Spike Lee, Where is the love
by Black Eyed Peas featuring Justin Timberlake, Runaway Love by Ludacris, How to
Love by Lil Wayne, and Tonz O Gunz by Gang Starr just to list a few. Also there are
many songs about the respect of women getting the respect the deserve, including Run

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the World by Beyonc, U.N.I.T.Y by Queen Latifah, and Love is Blind by eve. In
TuPacs song Mama he is being respectful to woman by saying Lady... Don't cha know
we love ya? Sweet lady. Dear mama, Place no one above ya, sweet lady. You are
appreciated. Don't cha know we love ya? There are many other hip-hop songs that are
non-violent and promote peace and a good life, and rappers like Drake are even known
for being respectful to women. He has themes of love and heartbreak in many of his
songs, like in Fireworks he says I want to witness love, Ive never seen it close. Also
Lupe Fiasco has a song that says Bitch bad, woman good, lady better, they
misunderstood. This song is all about how the word Bitch has taken on a different
meaning in some contexts and is teaching the youth wrong, which he explains in his song
saying First he's relatin' the word "bitch" with his mama, comma and because she's
relatin' to herself, his most important source of help, and mental health, he may skew
respect for dishonor. In the early days of hip-hop violent themes were non-existent or
had rare occurrences. Groups like Sugarhill Gang and Grand Master Flash had positive
themes and set the foundation for hip-hop. Profanity and promotion of alcohol and drug
use were very rare. Hip-hop has been an opportunity for many young people to express
themselves, and be creative, and flex their intellectual muscles. Also because hip-hop is
so popular and widely listened to, it can be a great way to communicate positive
messages including awareness of HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and
violence. Some communities dont have access to proper education about these things,
but they do listen to hip-hop. (Pinckney 2007) Also it can communicate religion to people
that otherwise wouldnt be exposed. Artists like Lecrae send out positive messages about
turning to God. He came from the streets so he can connect with certain listeners of hip-

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hop more so than others. Like in his song Church Clothes he says If God gon take me
as I am I guess I already got on my church clothes. This is such a positive message for
kids on the street, because Lecrae talks about all the bad things he has done, but says that
God still accepts him. Most kids might think its too late for them, but this teaches them
that they are still good enough. All Lecraes songs are positive messages, along with many
other Christian rappers. Other artists send out positive messages in ways other than just
through their music. Nicki Minaj, a very successful woman hip-hop artist, tells her fans to
Stay in school! Put your books first, and your music second. She also has told her fans
at concerts to stay in school. She has also replied to a tweet that saying No u will NOT
ma'am! > when a fan tweeted her and said That means ima skip or be late to 1st period
talking about getting her new album.

I personally know a woman who I shared a class with. She has a son who is a rap
artist, and she would always mention how his lyrics are negative and violent. She says he
isnt a negative or violent person, because whenever he gets upset he expresses his
emotions through writing lyrics, rather than expressing them physically. This is how
many artists are. Also for some people, that arent artists, when they get angry, they can
listen to that kind of music and they can feel like they can connect their emotions through
that, rather than physical violence.

I must be in the under 30% that dont believe hat hip-hop culture has a negative
impact. I have never behaved negatively because of a song I listened to, notr do I know
anyone that listened to music and behaved negatively. I believe that blaming hip-hop for

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violence would be like blaming Food Network for obesity. Throughout all of history
there has been violence and other negative behaviors. Wars happened, murder happened,
people drank and did drugs. People for this still blame hip-hop culture for this, and the
artists even though bad things happened long before there was such thing as hip-hop.
Becky Blanchard says By pointing to rap as the cause of violence, politicians attempt to
erase from the consciousness of their constituents the history of oppression that has given
birth to hip-hop culture. Which I completely agree with, if there wasnt violence out
there to begin with, then there would be no violent themes in hip hop. Though negative
things and violence are glorified in hip-hop, many times they are not glorified. Many
artists grew up in bad situations and violence and abuse is what they know, but it isnt
what they liked. They got away from that lifestyle and in many lyrics talk about how they
are grateful to be where they are now. If an artist sings or raps about negative things, they
always get heat for it, but just because that is what they are singing about, does not mean
thats what they are doing. It is just a job for them, and they are doing what it takes to
make money, and the things they rap about are not the lives they live, or want others to
live. I personally believe that rap is not to blame to people being violent or anything else
that people do bad. If someone listens to a song about people getting killed and then
decide to go kill someone means that that person is mentally unstable and needs to go get
some kind of help. That is a personality disorder and isnt a norm in the society. Though
hip-hop culture is not to blame, it is not doing anything to help either. I believe that is
why it gets as much hate as it does and why people believe that it influences the
behaviors of people on the society. If people say that hip-hop influences bad things, they
have to also agree that it influences good things as well, and if there was no more hip-hop

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culture, there would still be violence, drugs, mistreating of women, and any other
negative themes that hip-hop talks about. I think there would be more negative behaviors
because people wouldnt have hip-hop as an outlet.

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Works Cited
Adams, T.M. & Fuller, D.B. The words have changed but the ideology remains the
same: Misogynistic lyrics in rap music. Journal of Black Studies, 36, (2006)
938957. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Blanchard, Becky. "The Social Significance of Rap & Hip-Hop Culture. The Social
Significance of Rap & Hip-Hop Culture. 26 July 1999. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
McCall, Nathan. Whats going on: New York: Vintage Books. 1997. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Neate, Patrick. "Poetry In Motion." RSA Journal 154.5534 (2008): 24-29. Web. 20 Mar.
2015
Pinckney, Charles. "The Influence of Hip-Hop Culture on the Perceptions, Attitudes,
Values, And Lifestyles of African-American College Students." (2007). ProQuest
Dissertations & Theses. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Rosenberry, J. & Vicker, L. Applied Mass Communication Theory. A Guide for Media
Practitioners. 2009. Web. 20 Mar. 2015
Sanneh, Kelefa. "Dont Blame Hip-Hop." The New York Times. The New York Times,
24 Apr. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Wade, B., & Gunner, C.T. Explicit rap music lyrics and attitudes towards rape: The
perceived efforts on African-American college students attitudes Challenge. A
Journal on African-American Men, 58. 1993. Web. 20 Mar. 2015