Influence Of Music Essay, Research Paper

Music 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 and Dr. Dee 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.