Rap Music

[blackisbeautiful]

I was wondering if anybody watched Hip Hop vs. America?
If so, i would like your feedback on a few questions?

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind?

2. What do you think about rap music, period?

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it?

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)?

What are your thoughts?

[StJohn1726]

[quote=blackisbeautiful;180946]I was wondering if anybody watched Hip Hop vs. America?
If so, i would like your feedback on a few questions?

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind?
No I don't think it's responsible, but I do think it sometimes exaccerbates existing societal problems many of our youth are confronted with daily. For instance, crime and violence are realities in the areas in which many of our youth grow up and a lot of that is being reported to the world through rap lyrics. However, when an artist chooses to glorify violent, vengeful actions as the "keeping it real" means of resolving conflicts, that artist may be reinforcing the young persons decision to choose to take that violent route rather than discouraging it.

2. What do you think about rap music, period?
I love rap music in general. I'm a 40 year old NYer. I listened to the pioneers (Cold Crush, Crash Crew, Funky 4+1, etc.) as a pre-teen. I didn't grow up with hip-hop, hip-hop grew up with me like one of my peers. It will always be dear to me because it is the music, dance and art of my generation. It irritates me to no end when people suggest I should abandon it for adult urban contemporary (which I also love) and smooth jazz (which I also enjoy), especially when no one seem to question 50 year old white people who still love the Rolling Stone and the like. Rap music has given a resounding voice to a segment of the U.S. population that too often has gone unheard. My only real problems with rap music today is the lack of diversity in the ideas many artist convey, and the seeming lack of interest in many contemporary artist to master the crafting of imaginative imagery, metaphor and similie, breath control and all the other technical aspects of rhyme writing that all the greats worked so hard at developing.

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it?
I don't have any, but I think I'd be inclined to let them listen to at home with some policing of it on my part. I don't think it makes sense to try an forbid something that is always readily accessible outside the home. I'd rather not turn it into a tempting forbidden fruit in their eyes.

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)?

A bitch is a bitch. A dog is a dog. A manipulative bastard is a manipulative bastard. Nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade, IMO. The problem comes when these words are used as blanket terms. Not every man is a dog, but you'd better believe there are some dogs out here. Likewise with bitches and hos. If we start teaching the younger generations not to behave like dogs, bitches and hos, maybe future rap artists will have fewer people to describe as such.

Peace & blessings

[poeticasylum1]

Originally Posted by blackisbeautiful

I was wondering if anybody watched Hip Hop vs. America?
If so, i would like your feedback on a few questions?

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind?

2. What do you think about rap music, period?

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it?

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)?

What are your thoughts?

1. IMO yes, because unless they are exposed to other forms of music, (conscious rap) then they will hold onto what rappers are saying. Black men are responsible for leading and the youth are just looking at rappers just like many of us who grew up in the hood looked at the ball players, the hustlers and the pimps. Being a teacher and talking to some kids, they look at 50 and lil wayne as heroes. So yes, unless 50 and Wayne are saying something positive (which they are not) what else has the minds of the youth? The apple does not fall far from the tree and many of us are responsible because we expose our kids to something that is truly adult entertainment perse. Its like back in the day with Richard Pryor and Dolemite records, they were not for kid consumption. Yet today's rappers are on the radio and television and they naturally are exposed in a greater way than most of us back in the day.

2. Rap music is a tool like money or any other resource. Sometimes it inspires and most times today it is just garbage. Rap music today has been dumbed down for mass consumption. PE, KRS One are still around but they have no where near the exposure. Its unfortunate but I really have no use for it because its not inspiring (mainstream stuff anyway). Give me a jazz record or some old school hip hop. Other than that forget it.

3. Hell no. Not even today's R&B. lol

4. It is not okay for anytime for a woman to be called out of her name. Especially sisters, we can love ourselves under conditions and circumstances. Either we love our sisters or hate them. There is no gray area. Do I agree with what some sisters do? No. Its still no excuse. Now back in the day, I bobbed my head to some of the NWA and I was flat out wrong. Yet, when you know better, you do better, or suppose to anyway.

[JamieC]

Originally Posted by blackisbeautiful

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind?

2. What do you think about rap music, period?

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it?

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)?

What are your thoughts?

It varies on the black youths teachings. I'm sure several rappers have mothers as well as aunts, sisters and cousins who are women so why downgrade them? I don't allow my children to listen to rap because if their not going to get royalties for a valid education from a well renounded universiity it's useless. I wish one of my sons would call his girlfriend a bitch or whore, they'd be shot on sight because we don't allow that type of language and they were taught to respect women. Gotta remember, not all all black men are THUGS. My son's were raised to be the yes ma'm no ma'm type of gentlemen they are today.

And the world wonders why the young stunners are locked up today.

[MzKwietStorm]

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind? I don't think rap music is SOLEY responsible for the destruction of our youth. Rappers are responsible for providing a fabricated lifestyle that our black youths believe is obtainable. While, obtaining that lifestyle is a possibility, our youths get into trouble when they try to get that lifestlye based on what the rappers rap about in their music. The whole "get rich or die tryin" motto is pretty much branded into the head of most black youths. I also believe the maturity of the child plays a role as well. Some teenagers can see a video with rims, cash, big houses, and females and they can listen to the lyrics on how the rapper obtained, and they can realize that it's not all true and that there are others ways to go about getting it. Then there are some teenagers that believe whatever is said in a rap lyric or song, that's how they're supposed to go about getting theirs. Rap music and rappers are definitely a detriment to our black youth, but its not SOLEY responsible for their destruction. IMO

2. What do you think about rap music, period? I'm not a HUGE fan of rap music, but I have my favorites. My favorites include rappers who rap about somethign of substance like: Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Nas, The Roots, etc. I have to get some type of message from the music I'm listening too. How many songs can you make about selling dope, rims, females, etc.! LOL

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it? Not at all

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)? I don't agree with the fact that rappers call females bi$%s every chance they get. Rappers have the ability to change part of the degradation that black females receive because all types of people listen to rap music and they also have the ability to assist in the perception of black women as well. The fact that they don't use the opportunity is what saddens me. On the other hand, as black females we can't hate when a black man or rapper calls us out of our name and then dance harder than anybody else when the song comes on in the club.

[poeticasylum1]

Originally Posted by MzKwietStorm

1. Do you think that rap music is really responsible for destroying some blacks youths mind? I don't think rap music is SOLEY responsible for the destruction of our youth. Rappers are responsible for providing a fabricated lifestyle that our black youths believe is obtainable. While, obtaining that lifestyle is a possibility, our youths get into trouble when they try to get that lifestlye based on what the rappers rap about in their music. The whole "get rich or die tryin" motto is pretty much branded into the head of most black youths. I also believe the maturity of the child plays a role as well. Some teenagers can see a video with rims, cash, big houses, and females and they can listen to the lyrics on how the rapper obtained, and they can realize that it's not all true and that there are others ways to go about getting it. Then there are some teenagers that believe whatever is said in a rap lyric or song, that's how they're supposed to go about getting theirs. Rap music and rappers are definitely a detriment to our black youth, but its not SOLEY responsible for their destruction. IMO

2. What do you think about rap music, period? I'm not a HUGE fan of rap music, but I have my favorites. My favorites include rappers who rap about somethign of substance like: Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Nas, The Roots, etc. I have to get some type of message from the music I'm listening too. How many songs can you make about selling dope, rims, females, etc.! LOL

3. Do you allow your children to listen to it? Not at all

4. Do you disagree or do you understand when rappers disrespect black woman? (By understand, I mean do you feel that some women are bitches, hos, skeez... so who the cap fits wear it)? I don't agree with the fact that rappers call females bi$%s every chance they get. Rappers have the ability to change part of the degradation that black females receive because all types of people listen to rap music and they also have the ability to assist in the perception of black women as well. The fact that they don't use the opportunity is what saddens me. On the other hand, as black females we can't hate when a black man or rapper calls us out of our name and then dance harder than anybody else when the song comes on in the club.

side bar..... ya killin me with this font.

[MzKwietStorm]

Sorry about that LOL