Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth Essay -- Essays Pap

Contemporary Music and the Effects It Has on Youth In a book written on Abraham Lincoln, the author states, Who writes the Nations songs shapes the nations souls. (1) This statement is true. A quick see to it back at the music of the 1960s and 70s and the effects it had on society proves the statement. The question then arises, how does contemporaneous music effect modern society? More importantly how does it effect the most easily influenced group, the youth? There is no doubt that much of the best-selling(predicate) music in 90s culture has a negative message. The rise of rap, especially gangster rap and the continual popularity of heavy metal argon major contributors to the negative message. The message in turn has a very negative effect on children. The language and actions described in this music gives kids a false perception of what the world is truly like. It also portrays to them that the actions are socially acceptable or good. Youths of the present have a much more unco rrectable path to adulthood then the youth of the past. On a regular basis they are subjected to violence, drugs, and sex. Often times they are faced with making a decision for or against one of these vices. The majority of children will do what they think people they look up to will do. Often times the people they look up to are celebrities in music who send out a negative message. These celebrities often glorify sexism, violence, and drug use. 2-Live Crew was one of the first debatable rap groups to integrate itself into the public eye. Their lyrics, which are tame by todaysstandards, are sexually explicit and objectify women. Their lyrics not only fail to satirize the myth of the hypersexual black, they also commit the moral blunder of sexualizing the vi... ... End Notes and Bibliography1.)U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Subcommitte on Oversight of Governmental Management, Restructuring, and the District of Columbia. Music military u nit How Does it Affect Our Children. 105th Congress, 1st Session, 6 November 1997. Pg. 1 2.)Epstein, Johnathon S. ed. Adolescents and Their Music If Its Too Loud, Youre Too Old. New York Garland Publishing, 1994. Pg. 172 3.)Rose, Tricia. shadowy Noise Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Hanover Wesleyan University Press, 1994. Pg 128-129 4.)See Epstein, Pg. 175 5.)See Congress, Pg. 1 Additional WorksPotter, Russell. Spectacular Vernaculars. Albany State University of New York Press, 1995. Ro, Ronin. Gangsta. New York St. Martins Press, 1996.