Hip-Hop: The Media Scapegoat

“They say music can alter moods and talk to you
Well can it load a gun up for you, and cock it too
Well if it can, then the next time you assault a dude
Just tell the judge it was my fault and i'll get sued
See what these kids do is hear about us totin' pistols
And they want to get one cause they think the shit's cool
Not knowin' we really just protectin' ourselves
We entertainers, of course the shit's affectin' our sales,
You ignoramus, but music is reflection of self
We just explain it, and then we get our checks in the mail”
- Eminem

From Fox News to the election, to the classroom, hip-hop cannot escape the accusations that it prompts violence and degrades women and homosexuals. Its not that hip-hop prompts these concepts, it just doesn’t run away from them. Women statically have less of a chance of getting a job than a man. They will not be respected in the workplace as much as a man (unless they act like a man). Hip-Hop does not always portray women in the best image by calling them “hoes” and “bitches.” But at the same time these worlds do not always mean negative things. In the Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Me & My Bitch”, he says his bitch is his best friend and he hopes they grow old together. Although he uses the world bitch throughout the song he is praises this women.

As good and uplifting hip-hop can be it can be just as bad. We live in a world where sex and violence is cinematized, video-atized and Jersey Shore-atized. Hip-Hop has become the media scapegoat in a world filled with sex and violence. Eminem hit it on the head, rapping, “It's all political, if my music is literal, and i'm a criminal, how the fuck can I raise a little girl!”

With that said, support hip-hop, listen to the music, don’t just skim through it and remember the fox media is full S#!%!

(& I just wanted to say I enjoyed this class. One of most enjoyable classes I’ve taken in my four years at UB.)