It’s Not the Music; It’s the Words

Most people are attracted to rap / hip-hop music initially
because of the music, not the words and images associated
with it.

The problem with rap / hip-hop isn’t really the music.
Music is a good thing. Rap / hip-hop music, rock music,
soul music, jazz, classical… It’s all good.

The problem is the words and images that are woven into
them. And in the case of rap / hip-hop we all are quite
aware of what those words and images are: glorification of
criminal behavior, promiscuity, drugs, and images
consisting of the most ugly, most degrading black
stereotypes.

The words and images are fused so tightly with the music
that it seems like one entity. You hear the music and it
conjures up the negative images in your mind, in a Pavlov’s
dog kind of way.

Without a doubt, not all rap / hip-hop music is like that.
There are artists out there who have very positive messages
in their music. This is not to say that all music must have a
so-called “positive” message. Music doesn’t have to have a
message at all, but it definitely shouldn’t have a negative
message.

And the problem isn’t really that some rap / hip-hop music
contains negative messages (negative is putting it mildly).

The problem is that most rap / hip-hop that is promoted by
the big music companies contains negative messages...