1 thing I'd like to add whenever the comparisons are made with videogames, movies and other forms of entertainment when discussing this topic. Movies and videogames are more readily understood to be fictional and just purely entertainment, whereas we are led to believe hip-hop and rapper's lyrics are non-fictional especially since hip-hop as a genre, and rappers, are so often caught up in being 'real'. Therefore, I do believe it is more influential than other forms of media and entertainment
For every study that says violent video games and hip hop are the cause of violence there is probably another study that says the exact opposite. I'm a gamer and an avid hip hop fan and so are most of my friends, but none of us have shot up a school or anything overtly violent like that. It has nothing to do with the devaluation of human life, it has to do with separating fantasy from reality.
A few things that I consider when I think about accountability and media: 1. Blame usually doesn't/shouldn't apply to only one thing 2. Different people interpret and consume media differently 3. Media is a very powerful communication tool If a person creates a work of art or piece of media, they express themselves. They are accountable to their art AND to the influence that their art has. People should accept positive and negative consequences & acknowledge them, and not disregard the reality
I think Hip Hop is one of many cultural influences that perpetuates certain stereotypes that limit peoples potential. People are always looking for groups that they feel apart of and once they embrace a community they tend to take on that communities favorable attributes as well as its shortcomings.
i live in south africa and i can say that even though we are not directly connected to the culture in america, trap(soundcloud rap) has become one of the most popular genres here along with the associated culture....unfortunately music is also associated with a recent rise in codeine use among us teens ( myself included)....that being said i don't think we should put the onus entirely on the music but we also should not underestimate how influential it can be
I think that defense attorneys made this up to push the blame on something or someone else other than the person who did it, and society and the media bought in to it. I think it is ridiculous. It comes down to parenting and people being responsible for their own actions.
I didnt really listen to hip hop till my sophomore year in HS and by then my personality and the way i carried myself was already solidified, not to mention i have good parents, so hip hop didnt make a negative impact on me at all, but really a positive one. However, a young kid with parents who dont make an impact may be affected by hip hop in a very different way
I agree with ken when he said that we should call out 50, we should and I think that jay-z is a great example. When he progressively left the hood life he stopped rapping about hood stuff.
This is your best debate yet. Hip Hop does shoulder some of the blame when it influences the people who listen to the message that alot of mainstream hip hop puts out. Even if a rapper talking about hood shyt goes to talk at schools and and says to kids that it's just entertainment, the few kids who hear that message are overwhelmed by the kids who don't and it ends up just being hypocritical.
And to have these forums to disucss this is still important, because it will eventually lead to more astute conversations between fans of hip hop, and can only lead to discussing the real root of conscious influence which is philosphy. Some of my favorite; John Locke, Karl Marx, Rene De Carte, and John Paul Sarte.
In additon, where I'm going with this is that the title for this vidoe,"Should hip hop be responsible" is a classic argument of determinism vs free will.
Hip hop affects the people who are seeking the things they talk about or impressionable minds its not only the source of entertainment that makes people a certain way, i think its the type of person they are and if there interested in what the entertainer is saying that's when they start emulating the content.
Great convo ,a lot of kids are impressionable and I was happy to hear you guys recognized that and you didn't just say no its a/l parents and movies because you like hiphop. I was raised on hip-hop and enjoy it but I know I was a knucklehead when I was younger and thought I was a rapper ,it really can make you narrow-minded
Good conversation. This is an argument simply of ethics, and in our society the ethical thing and best thing these artists can do is accept publicly what type of influence they put themselves out as, just like Marlyn Manson did after the high school shootings.
Music in general is very influential, but the thing is...certain types of music has different effects on different people. Each individual is not gonna react the same, because we are on all different wavelengths you could say. There are other factors to take in consideration as well..such as upbringing, environment, role models, values, etc.
It's pretty obvious in our society, music, and entertainment in general influences society, there's no question about it. The reality is, in a perfect world, every child would be raised properly by their mothers and fathers and be mature enough to not copy what they hear in music, or see in movies. Since that's not the case, it's the artists, and the actors that need to take responsibility for what they put out there, because parent-less children watch them.
On the contrary, you had straight edge bands like Judge telling kids to cause violence against those who didn't share their views (which was ultimately the demise of Judge as a band). Every genre has it's positive and negative messages/causes.
The guy with the dreads that drinks Chocolate wine is easily the smartest guy in this group. And just because these issues have already been disused, that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to discuss it until it is resolved.
I think it all goes back to your environment. I've listened to some hip hop that talks about drugs, sex, and violence. And I have NEVER thought about doing the stuff they do because I know the consequences. My parents taught me better than that. Almost every troublemaker out there has had bad parenting or was raised in a bad environment.
This is so true man, the labels are the ones pushing artists to rap about this shit because it sells. I was thinking this for the last 15 minutes hoping someone would bring it up...
"But video games has little to no connection with violence." Not necessarily true. It all depends on the study. Some say that video games have a direct correlation to how the player reacts and behaves. They say it increases your adrenaline release as well as your aggression level when playing violent or bloody video games. Regardless, not sure that this means you can use it as a scapegoat for the actions of a free-willed individual.
Nothing in the field of arts should be responsible or mindful of appearing decent or respectful of any societal/political/ethical issues. It is at that point that it is no longer a work of art portrayed by an artist, but rather a compromised product aimed only at pleasing everyone.
I think it's different with video games, I think it's less damaging because it's more generally realized that you are playing a character and that it's not real life, since it is computerized and a lot of it is quite impossible to do. With music, since a lot of the content is personal recollection, these kids, teens, and even young adults tend to connect to each artist and therefore become more influenced by everything they say and do.
I ride with B on this one I grew up on Violent Movies and Violent music since young and ive had my parents and family to explain to me that to accept it for what it was...and what it was/is is entertainment...if someone kills because a rapper told them too it falls on the parents....and if the child's situation is that the parent(s) are not in the household I still beleve it falls on the parent or parents for not having the child in a more stable environment.
Not only that I feel Hip Hop should be held responsible, but a lot of these artists are not living that life or has stopped living that life. Why are they advertising this type of rap to our youth? Money..and demand for this type of lifestyle. This type of music sells at the expense of minds consistently lost in the illusion.
I think Marilyn Manson shut the book on this conversation in Bowling For Columbine. His interview in that movie and his responses to Bill O'Reilly on Fox were the most articulate, well thought out and well-put answers to the whole "Should music be held accountable for poeple's actions" debate. Search for that interview here on UA-cam. He's dead on.
I think in the end every individual, whether they're rappers or whatever they do, should ask themselfs what they're contributing to society. What kind of people do we want our society to produce, and what influence do I as an individual have on that.
to me, the issue will always be there and hip hop will always be partly responsible (as will all music). there's no way to stop the artists from talking about what they talk about. my issue is, the radios, major labels, and industry-heads need to take more of a stand against the content they put out in the mainstream. the content will always be there, but if that's what the industry will pay and make look "cool", it will continue to have an impact on society. although hip hop is still only part.
starting at a young age, parents really need to instill in the their children the fact that music is entertainment and that it's not always real. same thing with movies and video games.
So yes, Hip-Hop can be blamed to a certain extent, for assisting in influencing and forming a certain common mentality in certain aspects of the younger and growing generations, but the real issue is that kids are looking to the artists for guidance and influence rather than their parents or teachers. So before anything in Hip-Hop can be fixed, we need to figure out why parents and teachers are no longer strong influences for the younger generation.
So either you will know that doing those things are wrong or you wont. BTW, Feefo is so much more articulate and opinionated than he used to be, i really enjoy his segments...
Agreed. Even K Dot explains in his song Maad City how dangerous the area he grew up in. He also explains why he rarely smokes weed. Most rappers never talk about how the escaped their old lifestyle. Instead they talk about the money and the fame. Rappers gotta watch what they say and know that they have a big influence on people. Even Tyler the Creator said in one of his songs to not do any of the things he is about to say. He knows what power he has over people.
Shit, I'm out here working, trying make sure I can go back to school come next fall and finally start pursuing a goal again. I ain't got time to do all that ignant shit. I mean its fun to listen to, but people nowadays have such a lack of common sense that they'll fall for anything that is being thrown at them.
Another thing that people don't understand too is the fact that all these view points have been addressed already. The music-"Hip Hop Is Dead" by Nas The media hypocrisy-"Hand of the Dead Body" by Scarface The negative opinions based on racism-"Mr. Nigga" by Mos Def The overdose of the 'hood mentality-"Ya Playin' Yaself" by Jeru the Damaja The fans who are overly impressionable-"Stan" by Eminem The exploitation of rap-"I Used to Love H.E.R." by Common. All of it-"Stakes Is High" by De La Soul
@Charles Cross bro, everything you said is correct, but if Dead End Hip Hop really addressed the question of why bad hip hop gets airplay after being around for 2 years, they'd be taking a step back to be honest. Not to mention they talked about that in like the first or second webisode way back when
Something that might push against rappers like 50 cent and gucci mane talking about a responsible lifestyle is that it isn't what garnered them fame. The people who were fans of their first albums and mixtapes when they may have been about what they say may not be fans of what they are doing now they're in a different place.
rappers are artists, an artist should not be held responsible because parents are looking for someone to blame. if you choose to break the law... you are responsible.
I think it was Eminem who said If your responsible enough to buy a disc with a parental advisory sticker then your responsible for your own actions. We need to remember that there's other forms of media-like movies-that are considered art like Tarantino's stuff. But why front why it comes to rap?
you make a point, parents are too lenient/easy-going with their kids, and don't see what's going in the kid's social life, and they just let shit happen. But there is still an issue with the school system as well because teachers and administration are less motivating to help those who need it, teachers aren't reaching these kids anymore, and when kids don't do well in school and don't fit in, they look to artists who also didn't do well in school. This backwards system needs a 180 change too.
A lot of straight edge (no alcohol, drugs, smoking, excessive sex) hardcore bands such as Chain of Strength, Minor Threat, Have Heart, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Casey Jones, Floorpunch, Trial are great influences on kids. Teach you not do drugs, or at least don't excessively immerse your life in drugs. I definitely think music influences people. Especially people who only listen to a certain genre(s) or set of artists.
That is very true but I also Feel like there is nothing wrong with addressing those view points again. Its up to the artist who Re address Those Topics To be more lnnovative When talking on those different issues.
Has a 15 year old kid, I totally agree, hate to say it, but I'm more dialed in to what A$AP Rocky is saying than my parents. I don't live the life he claims he does in his songs, but I love him because his story is similar to mine. I can relate to him has a teen better than I can relate to my 40 plus parents.
I don't think we can only blame parents for the lack of knowledge my generation has. If a 17 year old kid surrounds themselves with someone in their mid to late 20s for an extended period of time, their should be some exchange of information and knowledge from the 20 year old and the teen. But most of the time the person in their 20s supports the negative influences that the teens have around them and are probably a main source of it.
I was raised with a pretty strong sense of who I am and no music, movies, or video games will ever change what my moral compass says is right or wrong or my self esteem. I can listen to songs that degrade "hoes" because I know, flat out, that I am not a hoe and songs about murder even though I would never contemplate murder.
I think hip-hop is definitely responsible to some degree. We all know that music influences behavior. It's partly responsible, but it can't necessarily be held accountable for crimes/behaviors it might have influenced. Artists can't be made to censor their music or create more "wholesome" content. At the same time, though, rappers have to understand the influential power they hold over impressionable kids and own up to it, which is where I have a problem with some mainstream rappers these days.
I think artists should be held accountable only if a specific incident is directly linked to their music. For example, if a rapper tells people to go out and kill someone, then that person is killed and the murderer says he did it because of the song, then yes, that INDIVIDUAL is responsible (the musician). But I don't think hip hop, or any other part of culture in general should be blamed for these types of crimes. I agree with Beezy, it all comes back to the parents or guardians.
music is soo influential, how many times are you going to watch a movie, maybe a couple of times at max. how many times are you going to listen a track? 100's and maybe even a thousands of times.
My point wasn't about the rappers influfence. My point was that I don't see much of the last generation (80s baby's) passing down the knowledge they picked up from when they were teens. The big homie/older relative would rather help the 16-17 year old get his payback on another group of kids by giving him a gun or jumping them, rather than telling them what the right thing to do is. It can't just be the parents/techers job, they're too busy providing.
I think that entertainment, let alone hip hop has much to do with why people take what the negative aspects of it and do whatever they decide to do. The thought of a person killing someone, selling drugs, doing drugs, etc. has already crossed their mind. I think that entertainment just makes people think its a good idea to do all of that. I'm young, black, 19 year old man, you don't see me poppin mollys, saggin my pants, toting a gun everyday.
I think another thing we have to look at is the slight generational decade gap between people these days. A young person in their 20s may have been raised on Rakim, KRS, Nas, etc. and turned out ok for the most part. However a kid in their teens who most likely grow up on Lil Wayne and whoever else and who listens to 2 Chainz and Chief Keef everyday may not know right and wrong like someone in their 20s may know it.
Also, once again, haven't finished the video, but in regards to the "cloud rap" phenomenon and all the psychedelic use that's referenced in the music I've seen kids say "I'm dropping acid cause of you guys' music".
Let the artist be the artist in which ever form of entertainment and allow them to tell their stories. If people can't distinguish between right and wrong within these stories or that you feel the need to act out upon experiencing a certain kind of entertainment then thats very unfortunate. Hopefully they only end up hurting themselves. Like SimpluhFly mentioned its more of a mental health issue, not the media itself.
So the question is how do we change the parents to make them change the children and schools??? That is the big Societal change question of the day. When you really look at it, it is almost a circle of influence.
I agree with everything you said except the last part. A lot of these rappers were most likely decent students in school, but thats another add on to the problem. The rappers of today aren't handing down the knowledge that they learned when they were younger, thus creating a generational gap. Nowadays the big homie, who may be 25-26 years old isn't really trying to help out the 15-16 year old. He could probably care less about that kids future...
And sometimes its not the parents or the pacific guidance..sometimes its based on the kid...some kids are easily influence by certain things whether its music or not...some kids dont have a strong thinking independent threshold...
Music has power. The platform has power. It's BS if an artist says they don't know that. THAT'S why every Emcee wants to be Recognized. Even the person that makes music for personal expression. If it's solely for self consumption then Why the trouble to put it out commercially? They want to be Heard. You wanted PEOPLE to FEEL it. Support it. It's dishonest for an artist to act like words don't matter. You come in it knowing it's an influential position. They all influenced to Rhyme by Someone.
I look at it like, violence in any particular minority occurs periodically throughout most cultures. For instance, "gang" violence was prevalent before you had Pac or N.W.A.. So, to blame it a genre of music is a cope out.
The problem is that people talk about Latino as if it automatically means mixed race. Latino just means being the product of Spanish influence in the Americas. You could be 100% white or black and be Latino. Look at Guillermo del Toro. He's Mexican but he could probably pass as German or Swedish.
I think hip hop, video games, movies, and other entertainment get way too much blame for everything. If someone gets influenced by these things enough to affect them in such a terrible way than that person is doomed from the start.
id blame the record labels before blaming hip hop because they market that negative side of hip hop over pretty much any other type of music to younger audiences.
No, Hip-Hop should not be held responsible for raising the youth. Hip-Hop is a culture that consist of DJ's, MC's, Breakdancing, Graffiti art, and Beatboxing. Hip Hop is a lifestyle not some guideline on how to function in society. People need to understand that hip hop is not your mother or father. It's up to the parents to keep their kids in check not Hip Hop.
There are socio-economic problems at play that causes problems not hip hop. Hip hop is where some rappers vent the found effects of these socio-economic problems are molded from it. Society uses Hip Hop as a scapegoat. Society as a whole needs to raise their kids instead of the streets. After all, rappers didn't come out of no where with commercial rap of violence and drugs, they got these notions from some where.
this reminds me of a documentary i was watching about comic books where they saud that when comic books first became semi violent in the 1950s the whole of america went crazy blaming comic books for the downfall of their children and said that they were bad for the society.......same shit just a different day
Thats the one of only two problems lol. People take things too seriously, especially nowadays. Nobody wants to think for themselves anymore so we blame entertainment for society's problems. The second problem lies in parenting (or just raising in general). Its like they say, it takes a village to raise a child, but you can't do that when nobody is bettering themselves...
I'm a freshman in high school. And ever since this group of kids started listening to Chicago drill and trap music, they haven't been right.
that's ultimately down to them
I agree that music can influence but it shouldn't bear responsibility of peoples actions.
1 thing I'd like to add whenever the comparisons are made with videogames, movies and other forms of entertainment when discussing this topic. Movies and videogames are more readily understood to be fictional and just purely entertainment, whereas we are led to believe hip-hop and rapper's lyrics are non-fictional especially since hip-hop as a genre, and rappers, are so often caught up in being 'real'. Therefore, I do believe it is more influential than other forms of media and entertainment
For every study that says violent video games and hip hop are the cause of violence there is probably another study that says the exact opposite. I'm a gamer and an avid hip hop fan and so are most of my friends, but none of us have shot up a school or anything overtly violent like that. It has nothing to do with the devaluation of human life, it has to do with separating fantasy from reality.
A few things that I consider when I think about accountability and media:
1. Blame usually doesn't/shouldn't apply to only one thing
2. Different people interpret and consume media differently
3. Media is a very powerful communication tool
If a person creates a work of art or piece of media, they express themselves. They are accountable to their art AND to the influence that their art has. People should accept positive and negative consequences & acknowledge them, and not disregard the reality
nah
I think Hip Hop is one of many cultural influences that perpetuates certain stereotypes that limit peoples potential. People are always looking for groups that they feel apart of and once they embrace a community they tend to take on that communities favorable attributes as well as its shortcomings.
eminem touched that subject on the way i am, also who knew.
and also ice-cube - gangsta rap made me do it
Dom exactly
When will people realize that that music influences everything we do. From the way we dress, to the drugs we take, and etc.
i live in south africa and i can say that even though we are not directly connected to the culture in america, trap(soundcloud rap) has become one of the most popular genres here along with the associated culture....unfortunately music is also associated with a recent rise in codeine use among us teens ( myself included)....that being said i don't think we should put the onus entirely on the music but we also should not underestimate how influential it can be
I think that defense attorneys made this up to push the blame on something or someone else other than the person who did it, and society and the media bought in to it. I think it is ridiculous. It comes down to parenting and people being responsible for their own actions.
I didnt really listen to hip hop till my sophomore year in HS and by then my personality and the way i carried myself was already solidified, not to mention i have good parents, so hip hop didnt make a negative impact on me at all, but really a positive one. However, a young kid with parents who dont make an impact may be affected by hip hop in a very different way
I agree with ken when he said that we should call out 50, we should and I think that jay-z is a great example. When he progressively left the hood life he stopped rapping about hood stuff.
Ricky Gervais yeah if 50 actually did that..but 50 never did that he left that alone also
Interesting conversation. Excellent questions and response's
This is your best debate yet. Hip Hop does shoulder some of the blame when it influences the people who listen to the message that alot of mainstream hip hop puts out. Even if a rapper talking about hood shyt goes to talk at schools and and says to kids that it's just entertainment, the few kids who hear that message are overwhelmed by the kids who don't and it ends up just being hypocritical.
And to have these forums to disucss this is still important, because it will eventually lead to more astute conversations between fans of hip hop, and can only lead to discussing the real root of conscious influence which is philosphy. Some of my favorite; John Locke, Karl Marx, Rene De Carte, and John Paul Sarte.
I love your guys conversation videos, they really make me think and I learn a lot from hearing all the different perspectives. can't wait for part 2!
Man y'all have some deep debates and this has to be the best debate y'all ever had.
This is definitely one of the best DEHH conversations.
You guys are deff top 5 hip hop video makers! Always looking forward to them
13:05 Myke shows just how old he is and 13:11 Mike G and Macy Gray makes a cameo this is officially my favorite episode
In additon, where I'm going with this is that the title for this vidoe,"Should hip hop be responsible" is a classic argument of determinism vs free will.
Hip hop affects the people who are seeking the things they talk about or impressionable minds its not only the source of entertainment that makes people a certain way, i think its the type of person they are and if there interested in what the entertainer is saying that's when they start emulating the content.
Great convo ,a lot of kids are impressionable and I was happy to hear you guys recognized that and you didn't just say no its a/l parents and movies because you like hiphop. I was raised on hip-hop and enjoy it but I know I was a knucklehead when I was younger and thought I was a rapper ,it really can make you narrow-minded
man I was just prepping a presentation on corporate social responsibility its funny this is yall video for the week good stuff
This is true. Something is already wrong with a person who can be influenced like that and can't determine the difference between reality and fantasy.
Good conversation. This is an argument simply of ethics, and in our society the ethical thing and best thing these artists can do is accept publicly what type of influence they put themselves out as, just like Marlyn Manson did after the high school shootings.
Music in general is very influential, but the thing is...certain types of music has different effects on different people. Each individual is not gonna react the same, because we are on all different wavelengths you could say. There are other factors to take in consideration as well..such as upbringing, environment, role models, values, etc.
I love dead end hip hop, this project is great, better than most things on tv.
It's pretty obvious in our society, music, and entertainment in general influences society, there's no question about it. The reality is, in a perfect world, every child would be raised properly by their mothers and fathers and be mature enough to not copy what they hear in music, or see in movies. Since that's not the case, it's the artists, and the actors that need to take responsibility for what they put out there, because parent-less children watch them.
that beat at the end is cold - FLIGHTZ
On the contrary, you had straight edge bands like Judge telling kids to cause violence against those who didn't share their views (which was ultimately the demise of Judge as a band). Every genre has it's positive and negative messages/causes.
The guy with the dreads that drinks Chocolate wine is easily the smartest guy in this group. And just because these issues have already been disused, that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to discuss it until it is resolved.
neoslasher09 chocolate wine?
I think it all goes back to your environment. I've listened to some hip hop that talks about drugs, sex, and violence. And I have NEVER thought about doing the stuff they do because I know the consequences. My parents taught me better than that. Almost every troublemaker out there has had bad parenting or was raised in a bad environment.
This is so true man, the labels are the ones pushing artists to rap about this shit because it sells. I was thinking this for the last 15 minutes hoping someone would bring it up...
I REALLY liked this guy you featured in this video, very good perspective
"But video games has little to no connection with violence." Not necessarily true. It all depends on the study. Some say that video games have a direct correlation to how the player reacts and behaves. They say it increases your adrenaline release as well as your aggression level when playing violent or bloody video games. Regardless, not sure that this means you can use it as a scapegoat for the actions of a free-willed individual.
Nothing in the field of arts should be responsible or mindful of appearing decent or respectful of any societal/political/ethical issues. It is at that point that it is no longer a work of art portrayed by an artist, but rather a compromised product aimed only at pleasing everyone.
I probably have watched all of you guys videos over the past month, keep coming with it cause I need another fix haha
I think it's different with video games, I think it's less damaging because it's more generally realized that you are playing a character and that it's not real life, since it is computerized and a lot of it is quite impossible to do. With music, since a lot of the content is personal recollection, these kids, teens, and even young adults tend to connect to each artist and therefore become more influenced by everything they say and do.
I ride with B on this one I grew up on Violent Movies and Violent music since young and ive had my parents and family to explain to me that to accept it for what it was...and what it was/is is entertainment...if someone kills because a rapper told them too it falls on the parents....and if the child's situation is that the parent(s) are not in the household I still beleve it falls on the parent or parents for not having the child in a more stable environment.
I love that song, I love the way he talks about it.
Not only that I feel Hip Hop should be held responsible, but a lot of these artists are not living that life or has stopped living that life. Why are they advertising this type of rap to our youth? Money..and demand for this type of lifestyle. This type of music sells at the expense of minds consistently lost in the illusion.
the message in hiphop unlike many other genres of music has a higher percentage of gun talk and violence. Art imitates life but art affects life.
I think Marilyn Manson shut the book on this conversation in Bowling For Columbine. His interview in that movie and his responses to Bill O'Reilly on Fox were the most articulate, well thought out and well-put answers to the whole "Should music be held accountable for poeple's actions" debate. Search for that interview here on UA-cam. He's dead on.
Hip hop is a CULTURE. It definitely should ALSO be held responsible.
You can't see how music influences kids to act a certain way?????
Hey get KRS in one of these conversation. The dude will go OFF!!!
There you go. Great point.
I think in the end every individual, whether they're rappers or whatever they do, should ask themselfs what they're contributing to society. What kind of people do we want our society to produce, and what influence do I as an individual have on that.
to me, the issue will always be there and hip hop will always be partly responsible (as will all music). there's no way to stop the artists from talking about what they talk about. my issue is, the radios, major labels, and industry-heads need to take more of a stand against the content they put out in the mainstream. the content will always be there, but if that's what the industry will pay and make look "cool", it will continue to have an impact on society. although hip hop is still only part.
starting at a young age, parents really need to instill in the their children the fact that music is entertainment and that it's not always real. same thing with movies and video games.
I think rap is a reflection of culture and from that becomes a medium for the existing culture.
So yes, Hip-Hop can be blamed to a certain extent, for assisting in influencing and forming a certain common mentality in certain aspects of the younger and growing generations, but the real issue is that kids are looking to the artists for guidance and influence rather than their parents or teachers. So before anything in Hip-Hop can be fixed, we need to figure out why parents and teachers are no longer strong influences for the younger generation.
and so the DEHH family grows...
So either you will know that doing those things are wrong or you wont. BTW, Feefo is so much more articulate and opinionated than he used to be, i really enjoy his segments...
Eminem's Sing For the Moment sums this topic up very nicely.
Agreed. Even K Dot explains in his song Maad City how dangerous the area he grew up in. He also explains why he rarely smokes weed. Most rappers never talk about how the escaped their old lifestyle. Instead they talk about the money and the fame. Rappers gotta watch what they say and know that they have a big influence on people. Even Tyler the Creator said in one of his songs to not do any of the things he is about to say. He knows what power he has over people.
Shit, I'm out here working, trying make sure I can go back to school come next fall and finally start pursuing a goal again. I ain't got time to do all that ignant shit. I mean its fun to listen to, but people nowadays have such a lack of common sense that they'll fall for anything that is being thrown at them.
Another thing that people don't understand too is the fact that all these view points have been addressed already.
The music-"Hip Hop Is Dead" by Nas
The media hypocrisy-"Hand of the Dead Body" by Scarface
The negative opinions based on racism-"Mr. Nigga" by Mos Def
The overdose of the 'hood mentality-"Ya Playin' Yaself" by Jeru the Damaja
The fans who are overly impressionable-"Stan" by Eminem
The exploitation of rap-"I Used to Love H.E.R." by Common.
All of it-"Stakes Is High" by De La Soul
@Charles Cross bro, everything you said is correct, but if Dead End Hip Hop really addressed the question of why bad hip hop gets airplay after being around for 2 years, they'd be taking a step back to be honest. Not to mention they talked about that in like the first or second webisode way back when
Something that might push against rappers like 50 cent and gucci mane talking about a responsible lifestyle is that it isn't what garnered them fame. The people who were fans of their first albums and mixtapes when they may have been about what they say may not be fans of what they are doing now they're in a different place.
rappers are artists, an artist should not be held responsible because parents are looking for someone to blame. if you choose to break the law... you are responsible.
great conversation guys, as always - keep up your thoughtful discussions
I think it was Eminem who said If your responsible enough to buy a disc with a parental advisory sticker then your responsible for your own actions. We need to remember that there's other forms of media-like movies-that are considered art like Tarantino's stuff. But why front why it comes to rap?
you make a point, parents are too lenient/easy-going with their kids, and don't see what's going in the kid's social life, and they just let shit happen. But there is still an issue with the school system as well because teachers and administration are less motivating to help those who need it, teachers aren't reaching these kids anymore, and when kids don't do well in school and don't fit in, they look to artists who also didn't do well in school. This backwards system needs a 180 change too.
"Sing for the Moment" by Eminem addresses this very issue.
A lot of straight edge (no alcohol, drugs, smoking, excessive sex) hardcore bands such as Chain of Strength, Minor Threat, Have Heart, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Casey Jones, Floorpunch, Trial are great influences on kids. Teach you not do drugs, or at least don't excessively immerse your life in drugs. I definitely think music influences people. Especially people who only listen to a certain genre(s) or set of artists.
That is very true but I also Feel like there is nothing wrong with addressing those view points again. Its up to the artist who Re address Those Topics To be more lnnovative When talking on those different issues.
Has a 15 year old kid, I totally agree, hate to say it, but I'm more dialed in to what A$AP Rocky is saying than my parents. I don't live the life he claims he does in his songs, but I love him because his story is similar to mine. I can relate to him has a teen better than I can relate to my 40 plus parents.
Hip hop is what you you make it... you can make it your life or for trouble you can blame it...
It takes maturity to listen to Hip-Hop.
I don't think we can only blame parents for the lack of knowledge my generation has. If a 17 year old kid surrounds themselves with someone in their mid to late 20s for an extended period of time, their should be some exchange of information and knowledge from the 20 year old and the teen. But most of the time the person in their 20s supports the negative influences that the teens have around them and are probably a main source of it.
I was raised with a pretty strong sense of who I am and no music, movies, or video games will ever change what my moral compass says is right or wrong or my self esteem. I can listen to songs that degrade "hoes" because I know, flat out, that I am not a hoe and songs about murder even though I would never contemplate murder.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
I think hip-hop is definitely responsible to some degree. We all know that music influences behavior. It's partly responsible, but it can't necessarily be held accountable for crimes/behaviors it might have influenced. Artists can't be made to censor their music or create more "wholesome" content. At the same time, though, rappers have to understand the influential power they hold over impressionable kids and own up to it, which is where I have a problem with some mainstream rappers these days.
I think artists should be held accountable only if a specific incident is directly linked to their music. For example, if a rapper tells people to go out and kill someone, then that person is killed and the murderer says he did it because of the song, then yes, that INDIVIDUAL is responsible (the musician). But I don't think hip hop, or any other part of culture in general should be blamed for these types of crimes. I agree with Beezy, it all comes back to the parents or guardians.
music is soo influential, how many times are you going to watch a movie, maybe a couple of times at max. how many times are you going to listen a track? 100's and maybe even a thousands of times.
still different
think about it.A artist is literally talking in your ear for however long you play that artist music.Which we know can be all day.
I don't know why this comment got voted down because this person is 100% right
My point wasn't about the rappers influfence. My point was that I don't see much of the last generation (80s baby's) passing down the knowledge they picked up from when they were teens. The big homie/older relative would rather help the 16-17 year old get his payback on another group of kids by giving him a gun or jumping them, rather than telling them what the right thing to do is. It can't just be the parents/techers job, they're too busy providing.
I think that entertainment, let alone hip hop has much to do with why people take what the negative aspects of it and do whatever they decide to do. The thought of a person killing someone, selling drugs, doing drugs, etc. has already crossed their mind. I think that entertainment just makes people think its a good idea to do all of that. I'm young, black, 19 year old man, you don't see me poppin mollys, saggin my pants, toting a gun everyday.
I think another thing we have to look at is the slight generational decade gap between people these days. A young person in their 20s may have been raised on Rakim, KRS, Nas, etc. and turned out ok for the most part. However a kid in their teens who most likely grow up on Lil Wayne and whoever else and who listens to 2 Chainz and Chief Keef everyday may not know right and wrong like someone in their 20s may know it.
Also, once again, haven't finished the video, but in regards to the "cloud rap" phenomenon and all the psychedelic use that's referenced in the music I've seen kids say "I'm dropping acid cause of you guys' music".
this has to be one of the greatest comments i read
Let the artist be the artist in which ever form of entertainment and allow them to tell their stories. If people can't distinguish between right and wrong within these stories or that you feel the need to act out upon experiencing a certain kind of entertainment then thats very unfortunate. Hopefully they only end up hurting themselves. Like SimpluhFly mentioned its more of a mental health issue, not the media itself.
So the question is how do we change the parents to make them change the children and schools??? That is the big Societal change question of the day. When you really look at it, it is almost a circle of influence.
I agree with everything you said except the last part. A lot of these rappers were most likely decent students in school, but thats another add on to the problem. The rappers of today aren't handing down the knowledge that they learned when they were younger, thus creating a generational gap. Nowadays the big homie, who may be 25-26 years old isn't really trying to help out the 15-16 year old. He could probably care less about that kids future...
MTV supposedly talked to Ja Rule for clarity after 9/11. Plus he made 50 Cent rich. *shrugs*
When have they done that? Wow I miss so much.
And sometimes its not the parents or the pacific guidance..sometimes its based on the kid...some kids are easily influence by certain things whether its music or not...some kids dont have a strong thinking independent threshold...
Discussions like these are what makes you a cut above the rest.
Music has power. The platform has power. It's BS if an artist says they don't know that. THAT'S why every Emcee wants to be Recognized. Even the person that makes music for personal expression. If it's solely for self consumption then Why the trouble to put it out commercially? They want to be Heard. You wanted PEOPLE to FEEL it. Support it. It's dishonest for an artist to act like words don't matter. You come in it knowing it's an influential position. They all influenced to Rhyme by Someone.
I look at it like, violence in any particular minority occurs periodically throughout most cultures. For instance, "gang" violence was prevalent before you had Pac or N.W.A.. So, to blame it a genre of music is a cope out.
The problem is that people talk about Latino as if it automatically means mixed race. Latino just means being the product of Spanish influence in the Americas. You could be 100% white or black and be Latino. Look at Guillermo del Toro. He's Mexican but he could probably pass as German or Swedish.
I think hip hop, video games, movies, and other entertainment get way too much blame for everything. If someone gets influenced by these things enough to affect them in such a terrible way than that person is doomed from the start.
id blame the record labels before blaming hip hop because they market that negative side of hip hop over pretty much any other type of music to younger audiences.
No, Hip-Hop should not be held responsible for raising the youth. Hip-Hop is a culture that consist of DJ's, MC's, Breakdancing, Graffiti art, and Beatboxing. Hip Hop is a lifestyle not some guideline on how to function in society. People need to understand that hip hop is not your mother or father. It's up to the parents to keep their kids in check not Hip Hop.
There are socio-economic problems at play that causes problems not hip hop. Hip hop is where some rappers vent the found effects of these socio-economic problems are molded from it. Society uses Hip Hop as a scapegoat. Society as a whole needs to raise their kids instead of the streets. After all, rappers didn't come out of no where with commercial rap of violence and drugs, they got these notions from some where.
this reminds me of a documentary i was watching about comic books where they saud that when comic books first became semi violent in the 1950s the whole of america went crazy blaming comic books for the downfall of their children and said that they were bad for the society.......same shit just a different day
Rap music can't make anyone do anything it portrays. It is the person themselves that uses there own free will to.act. So no hip hop is not to blame.
Thats the one of only two problems lol. People take things too seriously, especially nowadays. Nobody wants to think for themselves anymore so we blame entertainment for society's problems. The second problem lies in parenting (or just raising in general). Its like they say, it takes a village to raise a child, but you can't do that when nobody is bettering themselves...