Hip Hop Should Stop?

Q: Hip hop music promotes materialism, misogyny and criminal activity. It is responsible for perpetuating negative stereotypes of young men and women. Do you agree?

Hip Hop is a genre where rappers and emcees like to express themselves on beats that usually consist of hard-hitting kicks and snares or claps.

It has been said that Hip Hop music promotes materialism, misogyny and criminal activity. It also portrays a bad image of young black women because Hip Hop is a genre of black origin which started to take a trend in New York in the 1970s. Here are two music videos that agree with the statement:

Moment For Life - Meek Mill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=806tX9ZN9GI

Cake - Lloyd Banks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q47FP731RUQ

In both music videos we can observe materialism is focused on, especially in 'Moment For Life' where criminal activity occurs. A gang of black males approach Meek Mill for some materials, his jewellery and beloved chains.

I agree with this statement as the Hip Hop scene is flooded with artists who swear and fill songs with nasty, negative or violent lyrics. For example, I have recently come across two artists, they are in the same gang: 'Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All' (OFWGKTA). The two artisrts go by the name of Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, The Creator. I must say they do stand out because they use diverse beats that they produce themselves and their lyrical content is also different opposed to other artists.

Instead of rapping about guns and money like most other Hip Hop artists they look at Hip Hop from a different standpoint and usually mention killing, rape and religion.

Earl - Earl Sweatshirt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78_loMbmKJ8 (Music video)
http://www.rapgenius.com/Earl-sweatshirt-earl-lyrics (Lyrics meanings)

Yonkers - Tyler, The Creator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSbZidsgMfw (Music video)
http://www.rapgenius.com/Tyler-the-creator-yonkers-lyrics (Lyrics meanings)

The lyrical content in both songs is absolutely ear-opening and controversial. On the other hand there are positive Hip Hop artists out there like Lupe Fiasco and Nas. They withdraw from the usual talk about money, girls and cars and instead try to spread a positive influence through their music.

Nas has a track called 'I Can' and in that song he is encouraging the younger audience to aim high and motivate others to work hard and be what they want to be. To be big men and women with an actual future that is worth caring about. In the music video he is trying to break the stereotype of young black people. We can see that in the music video there are many black children so Nas is directly speaking to them through the power of music.

I Can - Nas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVfgvHucRY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (Music Video)
http://rapgenius.com/Nas-i-can-lyrics (Lyrics Meanings)

Lupe Fiasco's track is entitled 'Words I Never Said' in this song he releases what is in his mind, gets things off his chest and speaks about politics and the way the world is run by people who don't deserve the authority. Again, with the power of music he even targets President Obama and says what he did wrong. Lupe Fiasco speaks positive in this song because he wants top open peoples eyes about what should be changed and reveal the secrets that some may not know about.

Words I Never Said ft. Skylar Grey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVfgvHucRY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL (Music Video)
http://rapgenius.com/Lupe-fiasco-words-i-never-said-lyrics (Lyrics Meanings)

Here are a few more songs that avoid the stereotypical Hip Hop music video and song.

Live Your Life ft. Rihanna - T.I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVHN6eO4Xg (Music Video)
http://rapgenius.com/Ti-live-your-life-lyrics (Lyrics Meanings)

Airplanes ft. Hayley Williams - B.o.B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn6-c223DUU (Music Video)
http://rapgenius.com/Bob-airplanes-lyrics (Lyrics Meanings)

How To Love - Lil Wayne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Gf4-eT3w0&ob=av3e (Music Video)
http://rapgenius.com/Lil-wayne-how-to-love-lyrics (Lyrics Meanings)

I hereby draw to the conclusion that even though Hip Hop is crowded with negative lyrics and music videos with bad influence - there are also Hip Hop artists that counter the statement and use Hip Hop to portray positive, motivational and caring songs.

Artists nowadays are using music to send or even preach messages across to young listeners and fans. Music especially conjoint with a powerful narrative video can encourage people to aim higher and do the best they can.