How Does Hip Hop Influence Social Behavior

For the longest time now rap has been forced to take the reputation of being a negative type of music that encourages behaviors such as violence, misogyny, and drug abuse. This, however, is not what hip hop was intended for. Although a quick glimpse at the surface of hip hop might lead you to believe these accusations, hip hop is not intended to inspire such behavior and actually has a much deeper meaning that many people are proud to support. The hidden roots of hip hop can date all the way back to the 1800’s when slavery was still very evident. The movement truly started within the civil rights movement. Hip hop was a way that the black culture could use their voices to fight against their oppression and mistreatment. It was a way for them to be heard, and a way for them to let out their feelings of what was happening to them. With the violent lyrics and lower class struggles portrayed within the music hip hop immediately became associated with black violence, when truly …show more content…
Negative behavior such as violence and gang related activities have been spoken out against through the lyrics of rappers in hip hop. Many artists take advantage of their fame, and use the opportunities they have to encourage positive behavior. This influence can cause young people to make positive influences in their own lives because they hear about the change that the artist has made in their life, and they can relate. Many rappers are criticized for their crude and supposedly harmful lyrics that show parts of America as tainted and cruel. These lyrics may not be the most child friendly but they can teach the youth about many of the problems that America is facing such as violence and drugs. The youth is attracted to these songs because they are entertaining and relatable, but when listening to them they will also be learning about the American culture whether that is negative or