Violence in Language: Is Rap Music Causing Violence in America?

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Dr. Amal Saleeby Malek
rapes and killings, (a picture is worth one thousand words) and should be monitored
as well.
It is evident that we live in a culture of violence, and rap music is an art that
reflects this reality. If we lived in a non-violent society, rap, the way we know it,
would not exist. Rap, after all, is a form of entertainment. If a rapper is involved
in crime, it has to do with the individual himself, with his environment and
upbringing not with the fact that he is a rap artist. I agree with James Gilligan,
M.D. when he says: “People make choices and decisions for themselves”.
(Should Gangsta Rap Take the Violence in America?) People make their own
choices, and if they sing violent songs, it is because they themselves are violent,
not only the songs they sing. Thus, rap music should not be blamed for the decisions
people make. Since rap music mirrors urban American city life, the fight
should be against the causes of violence, not against its effects. The rappers are
not the ones causing the violence; they are merely talking about it.
“It is far too simplistic to portray rap artists as perpetuators of behavior deemed
socially deviant without placing the artists and their life experiences in
context” (Richardson & Scott, 2002). After all, we should be grateful that the
artist is expressing his anger in a song, rather than on the streets. (Should
Gangsta Rap take the Blame for Violence in America?)
In conclusion, to say that rap music causes violence is a “misdiagnosis”.
People concerned should look at the root of the problem and rap is only a symptom
of this illness. Rap is one way in which people express themselves, and thus
reflects a certain economic and social aspect of reality. The answer to ending
gang violence is not in limiting the artistic expression in rap music. Although it
has an influence on the public who listens to it, rap is not the reason for society’s
troubles. It is rather the consequence of those troubles. Those concerned
should concentrate their efforts “on the oppression, poverty, and destitution
that manifest themselves in urban lawlessness” (Dorn, 2003). Neither the artist,
nor his art form should be blamed; let us not shoot the messenger!