Music's Important Influence
Music's Important InfluenceMusic has been around for thousands of years. Music appeals to
everyone. When was the last time you have heard someone say, "I hate
all music."? Lately though music has been criticized for corrupting
teen's minds. Rap is being blamed for all the crimes and murders in
cities all over America and heavy metal is being blamed for giving
teens only dark images and thoughts in their minds. Although the media
and public criticize rap and rock music and blame the music for
influencing teens negatively, they actually give many teenagers an
outlet from their life problems.
Parents love to blame musicians like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre to
bands like KoRn and Limp Bizkit for their child's problems. Music is
an excuse for bad parenting. "One should look at the family background
of the person committing the crimes" (Foster 3). Most criminals come
from dysfunctional families, which would explain why a person would
turn to crime in life. Another reason a person would turn to crime is
being sexually abused as a young child. This would definitely cause a
person to go a little crazy. When someone hears some lyrics from
Eminem, they do not go out and do what he says. Lyrics from Eminem and
other similar lyrics are for entertainment only. If people did
whatever they heard, then everybody would be evil and corrupted I hear
far worse words and phrases during school than on a rap album, and the
words do not effect me or anybody else otherwise everybody in school
would run around shooting people and doing drugs.
Rappers are blamed constantly for crimes. In 1988, rapper Ice-T
was under the gun from the media because of a song he wrote called,
"Cop Killa". Once that song was released several police murderers said
they did it because of Ice-T's song. "But is it Ice-T's fault fore
these crimes, or is it the fault of the person committing these crimes
against the police" (Foster 2). Foster asks an interesting question.
The answer is no, the musician should not be the one blamed for these
crimes. Police officers were being shot all the time before that song.
All cops know that their jobs are dangerous, yet they still take the
job. Also a group called Three Six Mafia had a similar experience to
Ice-T's. They were banned from almost every state in the north and the
south because of a song they wrote called "Tear the Club Up". Whenever
the group performed this song, a riot broke out. This is not the
groups fault though. The people who cannot control themselves are the
ones to be blamed. The media was quick to jump out and say that the
riots were a direct result of the so called "Gansta Rap", not the
result of the out of control people in the crowd.
Rap music is a rapidly growing type of music. It has gotten many
poverty stricken people out of the ghetto. Also, rap musicians donate
thousands and thousands of dollars to charities all over America When
do you hear the media give them credit for that? The media always
looks for the worse in all stories. Rap also gives many young people
hope in life. When a teenager has problems in life, music can always
help them feel better. Rap musicians rap about their life. So if a
person complains about the rap lyrics, then they could make a
difference by fixing up poverty stricken communities. Once a rapper
makes a second album, it is usually less graphic because they know a
different life. They will rap about being rich and coming from some of
the worst communities in America Fatherhood is another subject for
rappers as they mature into a better life. Rap lyrics do not influence
bad behavior, but reflect it.
Rock is another type of music that is critize d often by the
media. They say that rock bands like KoRn and Limp Bizkit give kids
negative thoughts and make teens act out in violence. This however is
not true. The only way rock influences teenagers is on what they wear.
Kids that wear baggy pants, large shirts, and long necklaces with five
inch pendants usually listen to rap. Teens that wear wide leg pants
and torn up clothes usually listen to alternative. Lastly, teenagers
who have pierced tongues, blue hair, and wear tight leather pants most
likely will listen too rock. Because rock influences teens on what to
wear, that does not mean that the kids will be violent. "Large clothes
and pierced tongues are only ways to express oneself"(Smith 2) Smith
obviously agrees and that the type of clothes do not make a decent
teen turn bad.
Music is important to most teenagers. It is a way to get away
from all of lives problems. Music gives teenagers a different way to
think than the "normal" way to think. KoRn is one of the best bands.
Parents believe they are a bad influence on their children, but they
only say that because they do not want to blame themselves for being
bad parents and not being able to raise their child right.
"Day, is here fading
My time, has gone away
I flirt with suicide
Sometimes kill the pain" (KoRn Issues)
Suicide is a serious subject for todays youth in America and all over
the world. Teenagers are faced every day with the thought of suicide
Jonathan Davis's lyrics show that he understands what teens go through
and that it is alight. This is comforting to teenagers, so how could
that be bad?
Teenagers seek music as an outlet from problems in life, yet the
media and parents believe that rap and rock music is to blame for
teenager's problems. Rap is being blamed for the murders and crimes in
cities all over America. Rock is being blamed for giving teens evil
thoughts mixed with hate. Rap lyrics are about the rappers societies
problems. So if a person does not like the lyrics, change the suburbs
in large cities to make the lyrics better. Rock lyrics is all about
the soul. Lyrics from rock music are deeper than any other type of
music out today. That is why the music is so widespread. Music is the
universal language, and that is why all music is important to someone.