¶ … SPIN Magazine [1: The one source you requested I use was taken from Spin Magazine, and I modeled everything after this article: http://www.spin.com/articles/big-four-play-their-first-us-show (citation below) Weingarten, C. "The Big Four Play Their First U.S. Show." Spin Magazine. 2011. ]
Here Are the News: Analysis of What We Listen To
Violent and Misogynistic Lyrics in Gangsta Rap
By ____ April 30, 2011
The saying goes, "you are what you eat." Though this may seem like a cliche at first glance, just think about this small quote that you have probably heard before. When thinking logically, this statement is really true: you are what you eat and you really do look a certain way because of nutrition.
Similarly to looking like what you are eating, you are shaped by the music to which you listen. Those who listen to rock are different people from those who listen to predominantly punk or rap music. These individuals may live in different parts of a city, and may have different friends, or prefer different kinds of activities. Also, their actions, which their music impacts, affect everyone else around them.
Though this analysis may seem preachy, it is not. It is a fact that music affects us all. A study recently done on how rap music portrays women and violence against women, for example, is an important statement about the portion of our society who listens to rap music, and how it has impacted women. According to Edward Armstrong, who has studied rap, misogynistic lyrics are ever-present in this genre. Armstrong also states that there is hate speech and verbal assault involved in the rap music we hear today. For those of you who like rap, this article may be hard to read.
But if you continue on, you will see that often, rap is responsible for images created for women. Apparently, according to experts, rap is responsible for promoting and even "glamorizing" violence and misogyny. Some experts state that these ideas in rap are meant to give men the control and allow them to exert their reputation. This makes me wonder, are rappers compensating for something that they have missed in their life or are they simply continuing the only identity that they have known growing up?
I suppose the answer is more of the latter idea, the idea that "gangsta misogyny" is prevalent in those societies in which rap is born. When you have grown up with urban violence, you will mostly communicate this idea, which may be all you know, to society. Furthermore, you may communicate it strongly and directly, for rap is not known for using poetic or metaphorical language, which can add a further rawness or abrasiveness.
So when you listen to rap think about the lyrics. Think about what you are listening to and whether it is promoting a positive message. Who is affected, and how? Though rap is enjoyable, as is the culture in which it is promoted, and should be appreciated for...
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