I have just heard the latest album from 50 cents and some of the lyrics seem to glorify violence.
Iknow the cover has a warning on it ,but I wonder if maybe the tone of some of his music does not lead impresionable young teens to think its ok to be violent.
And of course he is not the only one who goes on about violence.

Who needs subliminal messages in backward masking? :confused:

Just play it forwards and it's cheaper to produce :D

Lol ,too true,mind you the sound of bulletts being fired, empty cartriges hitting the ground and kids screaming just about gives the game away.:thumbsup:

This theory has been investigated so many times.

It is simply not true as far as I understand.

Although most Gangsta' Rap is dire :gag:

I don't hold it responsible for crime.

You do however get bad apples in every basket.

In general I'd have to say 'no, it doesn't'. Yes, it glorifies violence and so on, but Eastenders glorifies mysery doesn't it? Big Brother glorifies lack of any intelligence whatsoever (both viewer and, ahem, 'celebrity').

There's a line to be drawn, a distinction to be made. Fiction and reality. (I do appreciate that some rappers can relate to personal experience, social background, upbringing and so on but I can also relate to multi-millionaire John Lennon asking us to 'imagine no possessions'.)

I grew up watching The Professionals. Did I turn into a thug or even an undercover bobby? Nah, I grew up wanting a silver Ford Capri. (Used to play Bodie-Doyle in the nearby bushes around our old house though.)

(Yes, I did grow out of it! Wanting the Ford Capri, that is!)

I think I read somewhere that the lead singer of 50 cent has been shot 7 times in the past.

Clearly a role model for all of us!

This was discussed recently on this forum

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40419

50 was actually shot 9 times (not in 9 separate incidents, but in one incident). An additional credit point on his gangsta rappa CV is that he was busted for crack dealing (although it was later discovered that his modus operandi was to cruise around selling crack, with the goods secreted in his girlfriend's nickers).

He was reputedly paid a million bucks to sign for Eminem's label.

Arse does it, I've listened to the likes of NWA and Public Enemy, Snoop Dogg and all this new stuff thats appeared, I have no desire to partake in dealing in illicit substances, drive by shootings, gang warfare, or anything of that nature.

I also listen to Death Metal, deosnt make me want to start eating babys, or spilling my blood in any form, join any cults, or create a desire to wear makeup.

Its crap, its down to the parents who dont put thier foot down with their kids and let them have free reign over whatever they want.

Joel

Exactly, same here. Ive been listening to this type of music for as long as I can remember, and I wouldnt harm a fly. But in answer to the actual question...

Does Rap music encourage violence? No, not in general, you cant just stereotype all rap this way, in fact the majority of rap is not about violence.

Does some rap encourage violence? Yes, so does loads of other types of music.
Does it get anywhere? No. No one is harmed by the type of rap, or any other music for that matter. If someone wants to be violent, they will be violent.

p.s. No one said 50 Cent was a role model anyway, and I doube he classes himself or even wants to be a role model.

Oh and btw...where are all these posters that have voted yes, id like to hear their input/

Cheers

I think when combined with other violently fuelled media it definately encourages violence, even on its own it does to some extent.
The old Hip Hop scene was completely different, more laid back. I have nothing against rappers telling us how it was or is on the streets, but when they promote it almost as a positive then thats crap.
You would have to be stupid not to see how Fiddy cent has become a role model for kids. Of course he wants to be one, he has a vested interest in becoming one $$$$

50 cent, or as he's known in Britain, approximately 27 pence.

What a joker. Yes unfortunately he is a role model for kids but give them a couple of years and they'll be hanging their heads in shame goin "nahh...I never really liked 50 cent..."

He must have been a crap gangster to have got shot 7 times, and what on earth did they shoot him with, a diana sp50. It should have been a Desert Eagle .50, and it should have been Mathers that did the hit, that way we would have got rid of 2 overhyped birds with 1 stone.
That would be violence well worth encouraging.

mmmm well I have to admit I had no idea 50 cents had been shot or had been done for drug dealing,maybe this explains the words to some of his songs?
Do the record labels not have some responsibility to the young kids of today and to set an example of people like this rapper and not offer him nice big contracts to make more records to promote this violence stuff?

its music. If people don't have the ability to make their own choices in life without blaming them on music, tv, films, video games etc then they really are pathetic.

You would think so, wouldn't you royjames.

But unfortunately not, they can run roughshod over whatever values parents are trying to instill in their children, promoting the eating-disorder-prone-tartly-dressed-managed-by-a-man spice girls as the epitome of 'girl power', or specifically targeting the young market for I-take-drugs-and-killed-my-girlfriend Eminem. I don't think social norms and child welfare feature much in the dollar-dollar mentality of music industry execs!

Although, I don't believe 50 cent has ever been shot, I think its all promotional? Just my opinion.

Edit: I dont blame music for gun crime though - none of the LA gangs with guns or London yoot who like to get into trouble would be caught dead listening to 50 cent! He's more for 14 year old white kids from Surrey.

Yes it does, the same as i like rock music and play the number of the beast by Iron Maiden and run around being a devil worshiper, (As if) how can music encourage violence? people are responsible for there own actions.

Originally posted by IanMitchell
I think I read somewhere that the lead singer of 50 cent has been shot 7 times in the past.



Shame they did not do a better job of it :D

Makes me want to kill the record producers;).


Surely there's a missing "C" from the front of this threads title:D.

I work in a bookshop and the shelves are groaning with crime novels. While many are your average midsummer murders whodunnit others are frankly so gory that I can't continue reading them - some of the descriptions of the murders are pretty horrific.
There are also loads of true crime books out there and plenty of gangster shoot-em up gritty underworld books as well. There's plenty of literature that glorifies violence or at least revels in the murky details, and not every killer gets caught. But I don't stay awake fretting that they encourage violence - most of the readers seem to be sweet little old ladies. Mind you, they say its usually someone you least expect.....

" I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"
One of the most evil lines ever sang

The music itself has no intrinsic 'power' to encourage violence, it is down to perception. I might listen to Wagner, for example, and feel uplifted, in good spirits and at ease with the world. Others might feel an urge to don paramilitary uniforms and conquer 'lesser' peoples. So it is with Rap; some may just enjoy the music, whilst others see it as a black 'call to arms' against white society in general.

Regarding the performers themselves; yes they do have the power, the 'agency' to encourage violence and some have explicitly done so. However, they are in a minority. Most Rap is about sexual vanity, 'booty hoes' etc. Certainly, there are references to guns, i.e, 'My Uzi is out of control' etc [for delicate, velvet-suited posters, an 'Uzi' is a brand of sub-machine gun], but that is also the case in rock, blues, folk, reggae, ragga and other forms of music.

There tends to be an over-reaction to Rap because the performers are young, black urban males. Some are allegedly linked to gangs. In reality, they are far less dangerous than the likes of Gary Glitter, and quite possibly another 'musical entertainer' famous for his penchant for 'sleepovers', Chimpanzees, 'moon walking' and copious amounts of plastic surgery.

Originally posted by timo
There tends to be an over-reaction to Rap because the performers are young, black urban males.

It took a few pages to get there, but at last someone has understood the real purpose of this thread.

Rappers = black = bad

That's right isn't it Roy?

Belle,
Hang on a minute. I do not think Roy is suggesting that black equals bad. People often misinterprete his postings based upon prejudgements about his politics. Actually, I for one, think that there are some serious problems within young, urban , black culture. The problem is not Rap so much as the numbers of young black men who interprete the 'message' of Rap in an unfortunate way. The Rappers are usually intelligent, creative types with good business acumen. If they were not , they would not be so successful. 'Black' popular culture is now a global phenomenon. The problem is, so many black youths imitate the attitude [not the creativity, work ethic and business acumen of the performers] of the Rap stars, many of whom are just 'acting a part' anyway, and see conventional goals , i.e, doing well in formal education as 'uncool'. The music itself has no intrinsic 'power'. The problem lies with the foolish naivety of too many urban black youths. In case anyone thinks I am being 'racist', may I remind posters that Trevor Phillips of CRE, himself of Afro-Caribbean origin, has made the same points recently.

Originally posted by timo
Belle,
Hang on a minute. I do not think Roy is suggesting that black equals bad. People often misinterprete his postings based upon prejudgements about his politics.

Yeah, hands up, you got me there Timo.

I do make assumptions about Roy because he is a member of the British National Party who believe in voluntary repatriation and that, for instance, asians should not any longer be allowed to be taxi-drivers.

I allow that fact to sway me into thinking that he has a problem with members of black and ethnic minorities.

Shame on me

Originally posted by carcrash
" I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"
One of the most evil lines ever sang

Nearly as bad as "Mama, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled the trigger, now he's dead"

Chilling no ?

i think that the videos encourage violence. and the rappers themselves as they are the ones who boast about how many times they have shot at someone or been shot and so on.

i dont think that the actual music itself does.

amiee xx

I think amiee has a good point,yes I also go along with the idea its also the musicians who play up to this gang image and maybe give out the impression its ok to be against the law.
But I also maintain the lyrics of some of the music is certainly violent and it does seem to place a emphasis on being the big man who can do what they want.
As to the comment about my politics,not worth a response.

I listen to heavy metal and rock... I think they probably influence more people into illegal things than rap does... but who gives a f**k? music is music... personally listening to pop music generally gives me that warm fuzzy feeling of wanting to go out and kill someone... generally the person playing it!

the point is that I have some restraint! music, movies, magazines, games... they dont MAKE people do anything, sure they can give ideas... but the people that act out probably would get those ideas from somewhere else anyways if they're a killer!

So far I'm the only person to vote Don't Know!

But I confess that I've never heard any of 50 cents music, as I can't abide rap music. So I genuinely.....don't know!