Expert's Perspectives
Tricia Rose is a world renowned professor of Africana Studies from Brown University. Dr. Rose explains that hip hop does not cause crime, but rather reflects the artist's life experiences. She believes that hip hop artists rap about the environment that they were raised in. Sadly, this environment often includes poverty and crime. Rose states that a main problem in today's world is the degrading of the American society, especially in the way that it impacts the poor, the youth, different races, and other minority groups. Tricia Rose's viewpoint, coming from an extremely educated standpoint, holds a tremendous amount of credibility and truth.
Yan Dominic Searcy works in the sociology department at Chicago State University. Searcy has also wrote an article for the Chicago Tribune titled "Blaming rap for social ills defies history, logicPopular music doesn't create reality, it reflects it". In this article he explains that due to a lack of understanding, many people believe that rap music causes crime. One argument that the author combats, is the belief that "there appears to be a certain logic to the claim that young people, particularly young blacks, can be influenced enough by rap music to carry out any criminal and violent messages." Searcy defends his viewpoint by saying "But if that were true, it should follow that if the music is changed, the results will be different." Yan Dominic Searcy also explains how those opposing hip hop often eschew statistical data and use race to defend their arguments, but ignore it when it fails to support their viewpoint. Searcy, like Dr. Tricia Rose, believes that hip hop reflects social realities, but does not cause them. This is evident as he states "Many rappers grew up amid violence, police harassment, poverty, drugs and promiscuity. Rappers will tell you they rap about what they know. If the community wants to change rap lyrics, the community must change reality." Searcy also ends the article by saying, "If America wants to change rap lyrics, America must change the realities that inspire those lyrics." (Chicago Tribune)
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Killer Mike, formally known as Michael Render is an American hip hop artist and activist. In this humorous and informative interview with Bill Maher, Mike argues against the belief that rap music causes violence and crime. By briefly explaining hip hop's past, Michael Render proves his vast knowledge of hip hop's culture and industry. He stresses that at hip hop's core, this music genre was created as an alternative to violence and explains how it has had a positive influence on job and economic growth. Killer Mike goes on to say that music's ability to create violence and crime is nowhere near as impactful as other factors such as governments, religion, and politics. He stresses that for systemic change to be seen, America must first start to acknowledge and control these three violence starters.
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