Akshinth Kongara, Week 9: The Misconception of Rap Music
Although Rap music is seen with a negative connotation and environment around it, it has generated a diverse fan base around the world with a wide demographic of listeners, mostly among youths. Many people recognize Rap music as a representation of violence, sexual exploitation, as well as encouraging street warfare and gangs, and a strong profanity. Although it has been seen as largely negative, Rap has had a multitude of positive influences on society.
A significant effect of Rap music is its power to unify diverse communities around the world. It started off as a small culture in African American communities and is now a global culture shared by many populations. Rap music can also create communities, as people who share similar interests and tastes find themselves and others through Rap music.
Another frequent provision of Rap music is the topic of hope. Rappers often talk about their struggles growing up, such as poverty and abuse, but reflect on their success through their music. While doing so, they rap about the obstacles they overcame and they key to overcoming them. The message many Rap artists send to their fan base gives hope to the youth who face similar struggles.
There are several other benefits of Rap music, but these are just a few. Many individuals have a misconception on Rap music and often criticize it or prevent others from listening to it. The media often speaks negatively about Rap music and focuses on this genre more when it is related to something undesirable. Many media stories identify Rap music as a catalyst in problems such as teen pregnancy, crime or some other negative social issue that have existed long before this music became prevalent. The truth is that Rap music is positive and serves the purpose of improving social consciousness by increasing awareness of some of the issues that many residents of our nation’s inner cities face. In the end, not all rap music is degenerate and the power it hold to shape the society should not be misunderstood.
Hi Akshinth! I don't know much about the reputation of rap music today, but since you briefly brought up its origins as music played by African Americans and Caribbean immigrants, I wanted to mention some other genres of music that originated with African Americans but are not exactly associated with them. From what I know, rock music has a similar reputation to that of rap music, and it was also invented largely by Black people. Specifically, a queer Black woman named Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who has come to be known as the godmother of rock and roll. She combined traditional gospel music with guitar solos, largely creating the genre of rock and roll. She opened the doors for the "official inventors of rock," Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly, giving them their first gigs and paving the way for their success. Another genre created by Black people is the blues genre, whose creation drew on African musical traditions, spirituals, and work songs. This genre also laid the foundation for genres such as jazz and rock.
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