William Blake Taylor
Ms. McGrath
English 4, Period 4
4/6/16
Reading Between The Lines of Rhymes: a Hip-Hop Analysis
Ever since Hip-hop was introduced in the 1970’s, it has evolved into a life-changing, multi-million making business. Its popularity has become an influential significance throughout the nation, persuading economical, political, and behavioral revolution. Recent rappers are encompassing a “thug-life” that surrounds drugs, gangs, misogyny and violence. Through the evolution of the vulgar Hip-Hop culture in America in the past 50 years, reoccurring themes of violence, gang culture, misogyny, and drugs are influential on millennials.
Hip-Hop is like any other culture: it is constantly evolving, but the “thug life” may not be …show more content…
This is the mentality that women are unequal and should only exist for sex and to be housewives. As a result of hip hop, many believe that there are specific gender roles meaning that men have certain jobs in society as do women. This is because rappers generally make it appear that they are dominant over women, influencing other men to act this way and women to believe it is true (Cundiff). The prevalence of these themes in rap music have caused many critics to blame hip hop for the growing sexualization of adolescent girls and the hookup culture that became more evident when hip hop rose to popularity. Carolyn West, associate professor of psychology and the study of prevention of violence at the University of Washington stated, “Black girls are not seeing positive images of who they are and what they can be” (West). Dr. West also went on to mention “Looking at the sexual imagery really impacts on the functioning of teenage girls” (West) , by saying this, she means that a young impressionable black girl can be influenced to think and act provocatively as a direct result of hip hop. Rappers are often heard using derogatory terms like “bitches” and “hoes” to describe women because they lack respect for them and see them as weaker. A vast majority of young girls who listen to hip hop don’t bat an eye to these terms and are not offended by them unless they are called one directly. By containing such disrespectful, sexualizing lyrics, hip hop has carved a path for society to view sex, without purpose for reproduction, as a common aspect of life. Today, although having many sexual partners is still frowned upon, for women anyway, it is still much less taboo than it was in the years prior to the introduction of rap music. On the other hand, men who have the ability to obtain as many sexual partners as they can with
Ms. McGrath
English 4, Period 4
4/6/16
Reading Between The Lines of Rhymes: a Hip-Hop Analysis
Ever since Hip-hop was introduced in the 1970’s, it has evolved into a life-changing, multi-million making business. Its popularity has become an influential significance throughout the nation, persuading economical, political, and behavioral revolution. Recent rappers are encompassing a “thug-life” that surrounds drugs, gangs, misogyny and violence. Through the evolution of the vulgar Hip-Hop culture in America in the past 50 years, reoccurring themes of violence, gang culture, misogyny, and drugs are influential on millennials.
Hip-Hop is like any other culture: it is constantly evolving, but the “thug life” may not be …show more content…
This is the mentality that women are unequal and should only exist for sex and to be housewives. As a result of hip hop, many believe that there are specific gender roles meaning that men have certain jobs in society as do women. This is because rappers generally make it appear that they are dominant over women, influencing other men to act this way and women to believe it is true (Cundiff). The prevalence of these themes in rap music have caused many critics to blame hip hop for the growing sexualization of adolescent girls and the hookup culture that became more evident when hip hop rose to popularity. Carolyn West, associate professor of psychology and the study of prevention of violence at the University of Washington stated, “Black girls are not seeing positive images of who they are and what they can be” (West). Dr. West also went on to mention “Looking at the sexual imagery really impacts on the functioning of teenage girls” (West) , by saying this, she means that a young impressionable black girl can be influenced to think and act provocatively as a direct result of hip hop. Rappers are often heard using derogatory terms like “bitches” and “hoes” to describe women because they lack respect for them and see them as weaker. A vast majority of young girls who listen to hip hop don’t bat an eye to these terms and are not offended by them unless they are called one directly. By containing such disrespectful, sexualizing lyrics, hip hop has carved a path for society to view sex, without purpose for reproduction, as a common aspect of life. Today, although having many sexual partners is still frowned upon, for women anyway, it is still much less taboo than it was in the years prior to the introduction of rap music. On the other hand, men who have the ability to obtain as many sexual partners as they can with