210803 | by: Nikki Garcia
Does rap music actually promote violence?
On my Instagram story, I conducted a poll with a simple question: Does rap music promote violence? Then, I added a box that asked for the user's reasoning. Of course, the votes were divided, with some being reasonable and others being unreasonable.
As you can see, 91 percent of those who voted stated that rap music does not inspire violence, while 9 percent thought it did (out of 47 users). Unfortunately, none of the people who voted yes provided a rationale for their decision. Here are a few compelling arguments for why users feel rap does not promote violence:
Music at the end of the day are just words. Violence is caused by the person’s doing. -Anonymous
There are a lot of artists who rap about topics other than violence/decry violence outright. -Anonymous
Not all rap music but some definitely [do], but all music genres can do that though. -Anonymous
It depends on the artist, artists like NBA YoungBoy, Chief Keef, Playboi Carti usually do. On the other hand, artist[s] like 2Pac, Mozzy, and Biggie speak about their life experiences. So it truly depends on the artist and what type of art they like to produce. -Anonymous
However, according to a study done by Western Connecticut State University, this is not the case. Young individuals who listen to rap music are more likely to engage in violent behavior, according to a study performed by Western Connecticut State University. Eleven people viewed a violent music video, eleven people saw a nonviolent music video, and eleven people didn't watch any music videos at all, serving as the control group. The findings of this experiment were noteworthy, revealing that the furious tone of the music videos displayed, along with the obscene lyrics and exhibition of weaponry, elicited animosity in the study's participants.
The Chicago Tribune, on the other hand, presented a compelling case. They claimed that the vast majority of rappers that use violence and obscenity in their songs have experienced the things they rap about and are only expressing their reality. Those listening to the music may be able to relate to it based on their own experiences, causing them to feel more connected and appear more affected.
In this case, I agree with The Chicago Tribune because, as many others in my survey indicated, rap raises consciousness and experiences while not totally encouraging violence. Logically, violence can only be created by someone who decides to do so. As a result, I agree with the assertion that rap does not precisely promote violence. After all, it's simply music at the end of the day.
Writer’s Note: Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to the poll; I appreciate it!