Hip-hop Music
Hip-hop music dates back to the 1870s and has its origin from the US. The nature of hip-hop music includes the use of rap lyrics with the music being most prevalent among the youth. Commonly referred to as rap music, hip-hop has been at the center of controversy and crisis with the media. The chief critics of hip-hop music have been the media with claims being raised concerning the impact of hip-hop music on the societal moral decay and a rise in violent crime. Hip-hop music has been criticized for the nature of lyrics that include praise for substance abuse and praise for violence. However, hip-hop has been recognized for its positive campaigns for vices such as drug abuse and violence in society. Several hip-hop artists are victims of drug addiction and use the genre to create awareness concerning the dangers of substance abuse although others have not yet accepted the issue of drug abuse as a menace that needs to be eradicated from the community.
Hip-hop artists are either victims of drug addiction or have been brought up around victims of drug and substance. American based 50-Cent is one of such artists who have been raised in an environment surrounded by drug and substance abuse. Born to a drug dealer, 50-Cent lost his mother at the age of eight years and had to survive the challenging economy by engaging in drug trafficking like his late mother. The most popular drug during 50-Cent’s time was the crack, a cheap substance that was readily available unlike powder cocaine although its effects were far severe and led to the loss of several lives (Dimitriadis, p. 202). Several artists who have grown up around drugs have always been portraying drug use positively in their music and have on several occasions championed for the legalization of several drugs. Another artist who has been raised around drugs is the famous Snoop Dog who has been at the forefront of portraying marijuana use in his music. Snoop Dog has even come out to support the marijuana legalization campaign and has influenced most of his followers into praising the drug. The hip-hop artists supporting drug use have been under the motivation of survival and the desire to enjoy drug use without legal restrictions. However, the artists fail to mention the negative side of drug and substance abuse and only portray the positive side.
The desire to achieve reality in music and to earn the following could be the main reason why hip-hop artists have been continuously mentioning drugs in their music. Most of the hip-hop fans are teens that are still in their prime age and are residing in regions where pills litter the streets freely. The mentioning of drugs and adding praise to them makes the teens have an urge to engage in substance abuse either for adventure or even due to peer pressure. Most artists believe that they have managed to survive with drugs and thus individuals should be left to enjoy their freedom and make their choices concerning drug and substance use (Harakeh, Zeena and Tom, 15). However, such a claim does not hold since the negative impacts of drugs are far severe compared to the claimed benefits. For example, several hip-hop artists have admitted having been struggling with drug addiction, and thus awareness should be created to save other people from falling for such a menace. The praise for substance abuse can be associated with the increase in crime levels since drug abuse is associated with impaired judgment and memory loss. The cost of buying drugs also forces users to engage in violent crime to get more for purchasing medicines. The artists who praise the abuse of drugs can also be said to be promoters of crime and motivators of moral decay. The other side of the story is a group of artists who have decided to use hip-hop music and the large following to communicate the dangerous impacts of drug and substance abuse.
Artists who have been exposed to the negative side of the drug abuse menace have had stories to share with their listeners. Hip-hop music enjoys vast teenage followers that are also the most at-risk population when drug and substance abuse is mentioned. Most artists who have seen the impacts that drug abuse can have on the society have joined hands to condemn the menace and create awareness among the potential users by showing that people can still be happy without being under the influence of drugs. The main challenge that faces the artists who decide to speak against the use of drugs is the perception that exists among the artists and a large portion of the followers. For example, drug use and the praise of drug use and violence by hip-hop artists have been associated with a fight for equality. The origin of hip-hop music has been associated with the African-Americans who feel marginalized by the whites and the government. Artists have therefore been using drugs and violence as a symbol of the struggle that exists between the whites and the blacks in America. However, a portion of the hip-hop artists have been at the receiving end of the negative impacts of substance and have noticed the dangers that are associated with the engagement in drug abuse. The experience under drugs and the extent to which the careers of individual artists almost ended have led to a change in the way hip-hop artists view drug and substance abuse.
Hip-hop music has suffered from the impacts of drug and substance abuse with the genre almost losing prominent artists and hence the changing perception towards drugs. Eminem is one such artist whose career almost came to an end due to addiction (Suzanne et al. 1045). The use of opioid seemed reasonable for Eminem until he came to realize that he was addicted to the painkillers. The artist claims that the time his addiction started cannot be identified, but he knows that the death of a close friend can be associated with his involvement with drugs. The accidental overdose of opioid in 2007 almost killed Eminem, and he has lived to struggle with staying sober without using the drug. The experience has led Eminem into becoming a champion for responsible behaviors when it comes to dealing with drugs. Eminem has joined other hip-hop artists in creating awareness about the dangers of drug and substance abuse. The claim by the artists that drug and substance abuse is dangerous has had significant results since the target population is the same population that is faced with a risk of falling for drug abuse.
In sum, hip-hop music has had different impacts on society with the artists being divided into two groups. One group portrays drug and substance use positively while the other fights against the menace after falling victims of addiction. The claims by both groups have received significant support from their fans.
Works Cited
Clark, Joshua, et al. “An analysis of violent and sexual content in hip hop music videos.” Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology 1 (2016): 14-20.
Dimitriadis, Greg. “Hip hop and critical pedagogy: From Tupac to Master P to 50 Cent and beyond.” Kinderculture. Routledge, 2018. 201-218.
Harakeh, Zeena, and Tom FM Ter Bogt. “The Effect of Rap/Hip-Hop Music on Young Adult Smoking: An Experimental Study.” Substance use & misuse 53.11 (2018): 1819-1825.
Vosburg, Suzanne K., et al. “Changes in drug use patterns reported on the web after the introduction of ADF OxyContin: findings from the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction‐Related Surveillance (RADARS) System Web Monitoring Program.” Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety 26.9 (2017): 1044-1052.
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