Ayush Dutta

Critical Thinking Paper

Hip-Hop and America’s Youth

Ayush Dutta

Green Group- Critical Thinking Paper

03/18/2018

Music preferences are very subjective, what appeals to one person may seem unappealing

to others. However, there is one genre of music that is far more controversial than the rest, and
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Critical Thinking Paper

for good reason. Rap has always been a rebellious music genre. From its roots to today, it has

never conformed to society’s moral standards. The movement was debatably started by the

N.W.A who revolutionized the genre by rapping about their illegal activities and evading the

law. This common theme has remained true to today and is brainwashing kids into breaking the

law for themselves. Modern day rap music is rife with explicit language, drug use, violence, and

misogyny and it is taking a toll on America’s youth. Many rappers have criminal records,

therefore they are not good role models for teenagers who are attempting to follow in their

footsteps after hearing their music. The hip-hop industry promotes a harmful environment, as it

features drug use and illegal activity for this generation’s teens. Statistics show that teens who

are exposed to this violent and drug filled music are more likely to break the law. The Universal,

Sony, and Warner Brothers music groups must implement fines on artists who release explicit,

drug-heavy, or violent music to the public because modern rap music causes teens to engage in

risky and illegal behaviors, rappers are bad role models for growing teens, and their lyrics create

a harmful environment which promotes drugs and misogyny.

Many parents accuse rap of being harmful to their teen’s minds but have no evidence to

support their arguments. Ralph DiClemente, a Ph.D. student at NIH put this theory to the test. He

held a study where he had 522 African American females, aged 14-18, watch and listen to rap

music for at least 14 hours a week over a 12-month span, and a sample size who had a

significantly lower exposure rate. The results found that 37.6% of the subjects who had a higher

exposure rate caught a new sexually transmitted disease, and 12.1% were arrested and were 1.5

and 2.5 times as likely as the teens who weren’t exposed to the music, respectively (American

Journal of Public Health). The Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation surveyed more than

1,200 students aged 15-25 about their music listening habits and their experiences with violence,
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Critical Thinking Paper

and drugs. 70% of the subjects answered that they listen to rap and hip-hop on a daily basis and

the institute concluded that “substance use and aggressive behaviors among young people were

significantly associated to certain genres of popular music” (PIRE). This over-exposure to rap

music has a direct correlation to crime and dangerous activity in adolescents and is putting them

in clear danger.

Hip-hop and crime have always been linked, as further research shows that a shocking

number of rappers have a criminal record. A poll on Ranker.com with over 2.2 million votes

ranks the top 10 most popular rappers, 7/10 of whom have a criminal record (Biography.com).

One of the biggest songs of the summer of 2017 was “The Race” by Tay-K, a 17-year-old rapper

from California that showcased his “race” from the police after he murdered 21-year-old Ethan

Walker in a home invasion (Coscarelli). The chorus read, “F**k a beat I was tryna beat a case/

But I ain't beat that case, b***h I did the race/ I'm gon' shoot b***h, without a debate/ I'm gon'

shoot, you can see it in my face. (Genius)” Tay-K was eventually caught and charged with two

other murders. The most popular rappers are not good role models because not only do they have

criminal records but they boast about their feats of crime.

Rap lyrics are filled with references to drug use which are being exposed to our youth.

According to a study by Dr. Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh, “The average

adolescent listening wholly to pop would be exposed to five [drug] references per day, whereas

the average adolescent listening wholly to rap would be exposed to 251 [drug] references per day

(Primack)”. Researchers on the Drug Slang in Hip-Hop Project collected lyrics from popular rap

songs from 1988-2013. The results showed a rise of mentions pharmaceutical drugs in lyrics

(Xanax, Morphine, Percocet, etc.), jumping four-fold in 2008 (Drug Slang in Hip Hop). The

drugs referenced in rap are often hardcore and addictive. An interview with a well-known DJ
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Critical Thinking Paper

called Too Tuff sheds light on how most rappers live until they make it big in music. “I was still

doing music, producing beats and scratching, but I had a full-time job, and that was [as a] drug

dealer...I used to ride around with between $10,000 and $165,000 in my car at any given time

during the week…” he said (Clements). The lyrics about how many rappers made their money

before their songs became popular as drug dealers, seem to be correct.

Hip-hop is also known to degrade and objectify women as just sexual objects. A study by

Ronald Weitzer, a professor at George Washington University found that 67% of rap lyrics

sexually objectified women by calling them “h*es, and b*****s” (Weitzer). Another issue is the

abuse and beating of women which has been prominent in the rap community for decades. More

recently, a very popular Florida rapper named “XXXTENTACION” was arrested for the beating

of his then-pregnant girlfriend. The rap community started the “#FreeX” movement, advocating

for the rapper to be released from jail (Sargent). The community knew about the incident and

still tried to get him out of jail after he committed such a horrible act. Hip-hop is an environment

full of misogyny and is corrupting the minds of the adolescents of America.

Although one could make the argument that rappers are just reflecting on their past

experiences and looking back on their lives as drug dealers and felons, the impact on the youth is

still prominent. Whether or not rappers are promoting drug use and violence, their lyrics are

causing teens to engage in risky behaviors. The Universal, Sony, and Warner Brothers Music

groups own 88% of all music in circulation today (Nielsen), and in order to keep our kids safe,

they must implement fines to any artist who releases music that is abundant of references to drug

use, violence, or sexually suggestive. Under the First Amendment, the labels cannot censor (not

release) the music, but they can set standards of what is appropriate to release free of fines. The

standards should be that any song with a sexual, drug or violent reference should warrant a fine
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Critical Thinking Paper

to the artist of anywhere from 25-50% of the income the artist makes from the song. These fines

will add up and the rappers releasing the music that is hurting our youth will soon pay the price

for ruining our children. Another solution to this issue could be that the main streaming services,

Spotify, Apple Music, etc. can remove the music in question from their sites and apps. Streaming

services like Spotify and Apple Music accounted for 62% of all revenues in the music industry,

and removing these damaging songs will make it harder for teens to access them (RIAA).

Rap music is damaging the minds of our youth and is putting our kids in dangerous

situations. In order to keep our kids safe, the “Big Three” music groups must fine artists for

releasing inappropriate music and the two big streaming services (Spotify and Apple Music) and

must remove these damaging songs from their apps. In doing so, teens will stay safe and enjoy

music that is not going to cause them to put themselves in danger of losing their lives.

Works Cited
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Critical Thinking Paper

Clements, Gavin. “Is Hip Hop Promoting the Drug Game?” Medium, 23 Oct. 2015,

medium.com/@gc01409/is-hip-hop-promoting-the-drug-game-27aa20ba8d16. Accessed

18 Mar. 2018.

Coscarelli, Joe. “Tay-K Was a 17-Year-Old ‘Violent Fugitive.’ Then His Song Went

Viral.” New York Times, 22 Aug. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/arts/music/tay-k-

the-race-criminal-charges.html. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

DiClemente, Ralph J. “A Prospective Study of Exposure to Rap Music Videos and

African American Female Adolescents’ Health.” National Center for Biotechnology

Information, vol. 93, no. 3, Mar. 2003, pp. 437-39. American Journal of Public Health,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447759/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

“Dr. Dre.” Biography, www.biography.com/people/dr-dre-507628. Accessed 18 Mar.

2018.

“Drug Slang in Hip Hop.” Project Know, www.projectknow.com/discover/hip-hop-drug-

mentions/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

Friedlander, Joshua P. “News and Notes on 2017 Mid-Year RIAA Revenue Statistics.”

RIAA, www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/RIAA-Mid-Year-2017-News-and-

Notes2.pdf. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

“The Greatest Rappers of All Time.” Ranker, www.ranker.com/g00/crowdranked-

list/the-greatest-rappers-of-all-

time?i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmFua2VyLmNvbS9nMDAvY3Jvd2RyY

W5rZWQtbGlzdC90aGUtZ3JlYXRlc3QtcmFwcGVycy1vZi1hbGwtdGltZT9pMTBjLm

VuY1JlZmVycmVyPSZpMTBjLnVhPTEmaTEwYy5kdj0xMw%3D%3D&i10c.ua=1&i

10c.dv=13.
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Nielsen. “The Nielsen Company & Billboard’s 2012 Music Industry Report.” Business

Wire, 4 Jan. 2013, www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130104005149/en/Nielsen-

Company-Billboard%E2%80%99s-2012-Music-Industry-Report. Accessed 18 Mar.

2018.

Primack, Brian A. “Content Analysis of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs in Popular

Music.” National Center of Biotechnology Information, vol. 162, no. 2, Feb. 2008, pp.

169-75, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004676/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

Sargent, Jordan. “The Most Controversial Man in Rap Is Free from Jail.” Spin, 30 Mar.

2017, www.spin.com/2017/03/xxxtentacion-released-prison/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

Weitzer, Ronald, and Charis E. Kubrin. “Misogyny In Rap Music.” Men and

Masculinities, vol. 12, no. 1, Oct. 2009, pp. 3-24. Sage Pub, Sage Publications,

journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1097184X08327696. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

Annotated Bibliography

Acharya, Monica. “How Are Hip Hop and Rap Music Affecting the Youth?” Medium, 11 Nov.

2015, www.medium.com/@moni_ach/how-are-hip-hop-and-rap-music-affecting-the-youth-

4b4a03b03236. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

This article talks about how rap music is full with sex, drug, and violent references.

I used to create my 1st and 3rd arguments

Armstrong, Edward G. “Gangsta Misogyny.” Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular

Culture, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 96-126. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture,

www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol8is2/armstrong.html. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

This article is about how rap music is full of misogynist lyrics and rappers only

think of women as sexual objects. I used to create my 3rd argument

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Critical Thinking Paper

Elkouby, Sabastien. “The Power of Hip Hop Culture.” Rap Rehab, 3 Sept. 2016,

raprehab.com/rap-music-brainwashed-youth-and-the-power-of-hip-hop-culture/.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

This article is about how hip hop promotes negative images and messages. I used it

to create my 3rd argument.

“Experts Debate Hip-Hop’s Influence on American Culture, Youth, for Better or for

Worse.” The Daily Universe [BYU], 13 May 2005, universe.byu.edu/2005/05/13/experts-

debate-hiphops-influence-on-american-culture-youth-for-better-or-for-worse/. Accessed

18 Mar. 2018.

This article talks about how rap causes teens to take sexual risks. I used it to create

my first argument.

Giovancchini, Anthony M. “The Negative Influence of Gangster Rap and What Can Be

Done about It.” Stanford, 4 June 1999,

web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/poverty_prejudice/mediarace/negative.htm. Accessed 18

Mar. 2018.

This article talks about how rap promotes drugs, sex violence. I used it to create my

3rd argument.

Harrington, K., et al. “Images of Sexual Stereotypes in Rap Video and the Health of

African American Female Adolescents.” National Center of Biotechnology Information,

vol. 16, no. 8, Oct. 2007. PubMed, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17937568. Accessed

18 Mar. 2018.

This article how african American women are portrayed as sexual objects in most

rap songs. I used it to create my 3rd argument.

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Critical Thinking Paper

“How Does Rap Music Influence Modern Day Youth?” Eco Jazz, 1 Dec. 2016,

www.ecojazz.com/2016/12/01/how-does-rap-music-influence-modern-day-youth/.

Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

This article talks about how the negative effects of rap music outweigh the positives.

I used it to create my counter argument

Jhawer, Sejal. “Why Glorify Drugs in Hip Hop?” The Stanford Daily, 23 Nov. 2017,

www.stanforddaily.com/2017/11/23/why-glorify-drugs-in-hip-hop/. Accessed 18 Mar.

2018.

This article is about how Lil’ Peep’s death caused a change in the rap community

and had many wondering why rap glorifies drugs. I used it to create my 3rd

argument.

Kirchheimer, Sid. “Does Rap Put Teens at Risk.” WebMD, 3 Mar. 2003,

www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030303/does-rap-put-teens-at-risk#1. Accessed 18 Mar.

2018.

This article showcases studies that show how rap does put teens at risk of being

arrested and engaging in risky behaviors. I used it to create my 1st argument.

Pascal, Jae. “Who Is Tay-K? Everything You Need to Know.” Hot New Hip Hop, 4 Aug.

2017, www.hotnewhiphop.com/who-is-tay-k-everything-you-need-to-know-

news.35907.html. Accessed 18 Mar. 2018.

This article is a biography of Tay-K. I used it to create my 2nd argument.

Wittbrodt, Amee. “Music as Media 10: Violence and Drugs.” Sophia, 18 Apr. 2006,

www.sophia.org/tutorials/music-as-media-10-violence-and-drugs. Accessed 18 Mar.

2018.
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Critical Thinking Paper

This article talks about how rap music promoting drug use causes people to have a

more aggressive mindset. I used it to create my 1st and 3rd arguments.

Jackson, Nakia. "What Influence and Effects Does Rap Music Have on Teens Today?"

Livestrong, 28 Dec. 2015,

www.livestrong.com/article/1005065-influence-effects-rap-music-teens-today/.

Accessed 11 Feb. 2018.

This article talks about how rap music causes teens to engage in risky behaviors. I

used it to create my 1st argument.