The Voice of Today's Black Youth

Paper Summary:

This paper considers the effects that rap music has had and is having, on American society. It examines both rap music's roots and its original message. The paper then discusses the way in which this form of music has developed and evolved, including the way in which its message has changed. It also reflects upon the ways in which these changes are affecting current society.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Rap Story
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"For contemporary black youth, rap music, just like earlier forms of black music, has become the medium to express the violent and unjust society in which they live. Continuing the line of former Negro expressions, such as Blues, Spirituals, and Soul - all of which were produced during times of dreadful suffering - rap music is also an expression of the way in which the younger generation views modern life, along with its difficulties, and its problems. However, the presence of highly violent and often explicit content, means that rap is neither viewed or listened to in the same way as its predecessors, with many observers expressing serious concerns on the way in which it can, or does, affect the younger members of society. Consequently, this paper will be considering the effects that rap music has had, or is having, on society through examining both its roots and its original message."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Joy Bennett Kinnon - author. Does Rap Have a Future? Will Gangsta Rap Sink Hip-Hop?. Magazine Title: Ebony. Volume: 52. Issue: 8. Publication Date: June 1997. Page Number: 76+. COPYRIGHT 1997 Johnson Publishing Co.; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group
• Sid Kirchheimer, 2003. WebMD: Better information. Better health. Online Article: Does Rap Put Teens at Risk? Information retrieved 09/01/2007. < http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030303/does-rap-put-teens-at-risk>
• Stapleton Katina. From the Margins to Mainstream: the Political Power of Hip-Hop. Media, Culture and Society 20 (1998): 219-34.

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