Is Hip-Hop a Positive or Negative Force in Modern Society - Essay Example

Is hip-hop a positive or negative force in modern society? Hip-hop has had a bad press lately. Hip-hop artists are stereotypically associated with drug taking and gun crime, while certain lyrical content has been perceived as aggressive, misogynistic and offensive. The already degenerate youth of today, if we believe the press, are being further corrupted by this under-belly of popular music. Violence amongst young people, it is claimed, is becoming increasingly common and hip-hop is partly to blame. However, not everyone sees it quite like that. Despite its negative press, hip-hop has also been seen as a creative outlet for urban youth and a musical form which they can relate to. It reflects the realities they face on a daily basis and their struggle to come to terms with the world around them. Far from encouraging young people into a life of drug addiction and gun crime, hip-hop can actually save them from it by proving a form of expression which can release their anger, stress and anxieties. This essay will explore the two sides to this hotly debated topic and attempt to understand just what role hip-hop plays in modern society. Jennifer McLune is a supporter of the idea that hip-hop is a damaging influence on modern society. Her focus is particularly on females, since she argues that hip-hop betrays its black women listeners by objectifying them. The basic premise for her argument is that far from offering an outlet for young black females, it actually encourages them to conform to roles delimitated along the lines of ‘baby mommas’, ‘chickenheads’ or ‘bitches’. Rather than offering positive role models for women, this music instead attempts to limit the role that women play in a society where men set the rules. This is an often levied criticism. At first listen lyrics to many hip-hop songs appear to have little respect for women beyond pure sexuality. McClure takes this point and develops it, in a distinctly feminist tone. McLune argues against Powell’s idea that the overt misogyny in hip-hop comes from socio-economic factors which have encourages this approach. She argues this point by indicating that women, too, have been raised in the exact same socio-economic conditions. Further, rich white males are just as capable as poor black ones of sexist slants. Her approach is an overtly feminist one which argues that women should not accept this war which men are waging on them. She argues that hip-hop culture is driven by sexism and that even artists which are opposed to this do not openly publicise the fact. It is so mainstream to hate women, it would appear in McLune’s argument, that no artist is willing to challenge it. The presence of women hip-hop artists does little to reverse this trend, she argues, because they remain marginalised. If they have any hope of main stream success they have to be just as ignorant and aggressive as their male counterparts. A sorry state indeed if McLune’s argument is to be believed. For her, the male dominated, sexist world of hip-hop should not be accepted just because it is a multi-million dollar industry. Women should not be expected to take the anger of black men who have been subject to years of racism and repression. Hip-hop should change its tune and until it does, women must unite to fight against this entourage of abuse. While McLune’s argument is compelling given the force of its tone and the undeniable presence of misogynistic lyrics in the industry, it begs a question however; if hip-hop is so offensive to women, why do so many consume it? Could there be a more positive side to this musical genre? Cathleen Rountree certainly claims that there is. While being as professionally interested in women’s issues as McLune, she adopts an altogether different view on the subject. Given that her argument is also less militaristic than McLune’s it also comes across as more convincing. She initially points out that hip-hop has long been the scapegoat in the popular press for violent youth crimes and the degeneration of acceptable social mores among young people. However, she argues, this is a gross over-simplification of the role that hip-hop plays. Perhaps, she argues, it is not hip-hop which generates a culture of violence and misogyny, but rather the other way round. Hip-hop documents the nature of the culture it develops in and if this is a flawed one, then this negativity will be reflected by those that choose to express themselves in this way. Hip-hop goes far beyond the condemnation of the press, argues Rountree. It is, in fact, a highly developed musical form which, in its rawest state can be as powerful as any other genre. In Rountree’s experience it is an all encompassing musical movement which speaks across divisions of class and race because it is based on humanity and compelling social commentary. It is designed to make people question what goes on around them and to engage them both politically and spiritually. It is a powerful force, she stresses, which cannot be reduced to mere sexism. She concludes by citing the ‘Hip-hop Project’ which encourages young people to express themselves and confront the difficult issues that they face in their lives through the media of hip-hop. This life affirming use of a publicly reviled music genre is compelling evidence for the good which it can do, for young men and women alike. Clearly, then, hip-hop can be damaging but, if channelled in the right way it can help those who relate to its origins and deeper messages to express themselves. It would appear, if Duncan-Andrade & Morrell’s article is to be believed, that this positive use may even make its way into main stream education in the US. As the number of students from ethnic minorities in schools across the country soars, teaching methods are having to adapt to engage people whose social and cultural experiences vary greatly from those which the so far white dominated education is designed to engage with. This is where hip-hop comes in. In Duncan-Andrade & Morrell’s paper, there is evidence that hip-hop can appeal to a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and that students naturally apply the kinds of critical reading skills to hip-hop texts which teachers need to encourage in the English classroom. As hip-hop appears to be a representative voice of urban youth, it therefore makes sense for teachers and students alike to engage with this music as a way of developing students analytical skills. Teachers can tap into the role which rappers have made for themselves as educators and help students to approach their education from their own perspective, rather than forcing them to adapt their thought-process to a thoroughly alien environment, as has so long been the case. It is therefore clear that hip-hop can be considered both a repressive but also a liberating force. At its worst, it is commercialised misogyny, repressing its female fans and encouraging female stereotypes in a way which flies in the face of all that feminism had fought so hard for. However, at the core of the music lies a strong tradition of social commentary which many young people, from across the racial and social divide, relate to. When this powerful tool is harnessed it can even be used in the English classroom to encourage young people and help them to express themselves. Bibliography Duncan-Andrade, Jeffrey M. R. & Morrell, Ernest (2002) ‘Promoting Academic Literacy with Urban Youth through Engaging Hip-Hop Culture’ The English Journal, Vol. 91, No. 6 pp. 88-92 McLune, Jennifer (2006) ‘Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women’ in Perspectives on Contemporary Issues: Readings across the Disciplines. Ed. Ackley, Kartherin Anne, London: Thompson Rountree, Cathleen (2007) ‘In Defence of Hip Hop’ in Perspectives on Contemporary Issues: Readings across the Disciplines. Ed. Ackley, Katherine Anne, London: Thompson Outline Introduction: A discussion of the positive and negative viewpoints on hip-hip. Paragraph 1: Hip-hop is sexist. It objectifies women and encourages them to conform to negative stereotypes. Paragraph 2: Socio-economic factors cannot be blamed for sexism in hip-hop. The rappers must be held accountable. Paragraph 3: Women must therefore fight against hip-hop until things change. However, hip-hop might also have something positive to offer. Paragraph 4: Hip-hop does not create a sexist culture, but rather reflects the sexism already present in the culture from which it develops. Paragraph 5: Hip-hop is actually a powerfully engaging social and political force. The Hip-hop project is one example of young people’s positive engagement with this genre. Paragraph 6: Hip-hop may even be beneficially in mainstream education as it helps to engage ethnic minorities. Paragraph 7: Hip-hop has been seen to engage children from many different cultural and racial backgrounds successfully. Conclusion: A comparison of the various viewpoints discussed in the essay. Read More