Hip Hop has its origins from a resistance movement during the 1970s. Rap music which is one aspect of hip hop, was mainstreamed in the late 1980s and 1990s. These genres of music have since developed as a cultural and artistic sensation affecting youth around the world (Alridge and Stewart 2005). Similarly dancehall also emerged in the late 1970s in Jamaica not only as a musical style but as the basis for a type of recreational lifestyle. Initially, all presented genres have reflected social, economic, political and cultural realities for many youth in a relatable language. Today it is has evolved into a cultural phenomenon that has crossed the boundaries of its origin and has particularly infiltrated and influenced the young societal cohort.
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One would conceive that they should not allow themselves to be put at a disadvantage. More importantly; are they aware of the effects of these genres of music on their psyche? Or are they just listening to music that they can relate to? It has been suggested that adolescents make use of media for five (5) reasons: entertaining, identity formation, sensation seeking, coping and as aforementioned youth culture identification (Arnett 1995). With these reasons in mind it is not surprising then that many youth particularly those who are underprivileged tend to gravitate to these genres of music and artistes who ‘reflect’ their reality. What is more intriguing is the extent to which these deviant behaviours are reinforced, inspired or facilitated by rap, hip hop and dancehall music. It warrants further investigation especially since studies have determined that music indeed shapes the life of a developing adolescent and plays a major role in moulding their perceptions of life (Baker and Bor 2008). These studies have provided evidence that Rap, Hip Hop and Dancehall promotes violent behavior and has also explained why its exposure has generated such heated debates …show more content…
These lyrics coupled with many environmental threats pose danger to the health, safety and well-being of today’s youth. Despite this, these types of music are part of our daily choices. It is on the radio, on our personal music players and played on the streets, whether we listen to it intentionally or not. Studies have showed that the average teenager listens to forty hours of music per week. How much is derogatory in nature is dependent on the individual and their preferences. It is critical then, for parents, educators, broadcasters, politicians and other stakeholders to become more aware of sexually explicit, drug oriented and/or violent lyrics. It is also essential that they take active mitigation measures to protect the minds of our youth and by extension our society. This necessities a collaborative effort since the production and marketing of negative imagery has become quite a lucrative business. Therefore the perpetrators are less likely to consider the deleterious effects of such lyrical content on vulnerable adolescent minds. It has now reached a stage where these forms of expression have become socially
One would conceive that they should not allow themselves to be put at a disadvantage. More importantly; are they aware of the effects of these genres of music on their psyche? Or are they just listening to music that they can relate to? It has been suggested that adolescents make use of media for five (5) reasons: entertaining, identity formation, sensation seeking, coping and as aforementioned youth culture identification (Arnett 1995). With these reasons in mind it is not surprising then that many youth particularly those who are underprivileged tend to gravitate to these genres of music and artistes who ‘reflect’ their reality. What is more intriguing is the extent to which these deviant behaviours are reinforced, inspired or facilitated by rap, hip hop and dancehall music. It warrants further investigation especially since studies have determined that music indeed shapes the life of a developing adolescent and plays a major role in moulding their perceptions of life (Baker and Bor 2008). These studies have provided evidence that Rap, Hip Hop and Dancehall promotes violent behavior and has also explained why its exposure has generated such heated debates …show more content…
These lyrics coupled with many environmental threats pose danger to the health, safety and well-being of today’s youth. Despite this, these types of music are part of our daily choices. It is on the radio, on our personal music players and played on the streets, whether we listen to it intentionally or not. Studies have showed that the average teenager listens to forty hours of music per week. How much is derogatory in nature is dependent on the individual and their preferences. It is critical then, for parents, educators, broadcasters, politicians and other stakeholders to become more aware of sexually explicit, drug oriented and/or violent lyrics. It is also essential that they take active mitigation measures to protect the minds of our youth and by extension our society. This necessities a collaborative effort since the production and marketing of negative imagery has become quite a lucrative business. Therefore the perpetrators are less likely to consider the deleterious effects of such lyrical content on vulnerable adolescent minds. It has now reached a stage where these forms of expression have become socially