Rap music may sound good to some, and have good lyrics to others... if your mature enough. I have watched to many young kids, who live in the damn country clubs, make believe they are in the ghetto.. and that their life is hard. This leads to them doing bad things, because they wanna live "the thug life". I think this is the most ridiculous sh** I have ever heard. I used to listen to rap, and still do when I am out... but I don't actually act and alter my thinking because of it. Even kids who do have in hard, and live in difficult situations are affected, even worse really. They relate to the music of drugs, drinking, sex, and gangs... and think that this way of life is the only kind of life. I have seen it happen. For example, my ex boyfriend used to be a sweetheart. He had it hard yes, but then something happened. His mother died. He started listening to rap, especially 2pac. His mind changed completely. He started smoking like 2 pac, drinking, and joined the bloods. I recently saw him to see how he was, and was shocked. He is ten times worse from the time I left him. I asked him why he lives like this, and why he does this to himself. His answer- "This is the only way I can live, I was born a thug, and like Pac, I'll die a thug" Dirty Rap music is not the only thing that did this to him, but it sure played a big part. Not all rap is like this, but most of the sh** we hear day in and day out is. Rap should be much more censored, and shouldn't allow to have lyrics about drugs and sex(not making love, I'm talking about hoes and what not ) and gangs and killing. I have seen to many kids fall into their lyrics and live them... like I did when I was 13.

Amen Ms. Night. I completely agree. I will never understand why it's okay these days for kids to be listening to this foul form of music in which women are made into fleshy objects and drugs and violence are considered ways to better oneself. It sickens me. Especially when there are kids walking around in my city, a city where every kid comes from a rich higherclass family, swearing themselves blind and beating old people up for cash.
Don't say it doesn't happen, i've seen it for myself.

Thug Life in Toronto? Lol! I think I have a solution to that..Organize bus trips for them down to my old neighborhood. When the bus lets them out on a corner drive off..Anyone who survives and makes it back to Canada will be completely cured of the urge to act like they're hard..

He's not talking about Toronto but close enough.

I've said that exact same thing as well. Drop them off in the middle of a real bad neighbourhood and see how many of them don't crap their pants.

Yes, these posing, bored white kids from suburbia wanting street cred. Ha ha ha...so stupid.

But beyond it being silly, there are some serious problems that can arise. I don't think rap music is a reason for more violence/hate/drug use/etc, just one of many factors.

oh boy, I gotta explain this again. the reason most people hate rap is because it's taken out of proportion. Yeah there are a lot of idiots who think the point of thug rap is to be all gangsta, but it's not. The WHOLE point of thug rap is NOT to be like that. most people can't understand because they've nver lived in that kind of life. I mean, I'm an example, I grew up in a shitty ghetto, and I listen to thug rap, but I actually take time to understand what tehir trying to say. I don't go out and buy a gun and go shoot people. It's like when troublesome kids are taken to visit prisons. I mean, do you think the kids would be scared if the prisoners didn't act so rowdy? It's the same message with rap. now there is bad Rap, such as rappers who only care about money and such, and Eminem who is the worst piece of crap rapper there is. I didn't mean to offend anyone, but I know becasue I've lived it my whole life, and most people misunderstand the meassage and think that they are saying to be like them. I'm sick of it

A tribe called quest is good rap... it's not a bout gangstas... or at least I don't think it is... anywho, they flow really well... I don't listen to much music... or do I? Idon't know... .... ... ... ...

Its the man keeping us down.

The Roots is good hip hop.

But when you start getting into this gansta rap stuff like 50 cent, glorifying the fact that he's been shot, it's going to have a negative effect on kids.

It's not "rap" music's fault per say, but it is the fault of the artists that are making themselves look cool because they supposedly grew up in the ghetto... kids are going to follow it!

The parents need to step up, not to ban rap, but to keep up on whats going on in the kids life. A strong positive influence will outweigh any bad influence from rap. And we can both ride home in my automobile....

Rap music...Ugh. I totally agree with Burnside.

You can't control your kids all the time. If they want to listen to it nothing is going to stop them. Besides, do you really think that these wannabe thugs have a strong parental role model in the first place?

I don't care about all this "But it's the artist expressing themselves" tripe. When the majority of people buying your records are under 18, you do have a certain responsibility.

I bet most rappers are really nice guys in person. Maybe they are just acting out to get attention....attention they never had as a child. Perhaps calling a girl a "ho" is a rappers way of saying "Mother was never around enough." And perhaps the reason many rappers brandish weapons is to replace the feeling of being a man that one receives when praised by their father...
Alas, I know not. I do know, however, that rap is da shiznit.

it is more human instinct. people follow what others do. humans are sheeple. we are all sheeple in a way

sheeple.
That is the best word i have ever heard.


Sheeples.

If I could rap and make millions, I would be doing it now. I am 33 ( white) and actually like rap(it is what I listen to mostly). Back in my teens, metalica was the band that was blamed for a suicide. Idiots will do idiotic things no matter what music they listen. It is an excuse.

please don't take offense to this, but you're not exactly right about that. It's harder to understand if you're on the outside looking in. The point of telling how he's been shot is NOT to be like him. there are too many people who don't understand that. 50 Cent has even said in interwives why do people glorify the thug life? that's the reason of thug rap. they tell about horrible times so that no one will follow them, but there are too many idiots out there who think they're telling them to go out and be a thug. If anyone, I should be a gangsta. I grew up in the ghettos of Los Angeles, the home of gangsta rap, and I've been listening to thug rap for several years. but I understand the message they're trying to send because i come from the same kinda crappy existence they do. I live it everday, but if you ever know anyone from the ghetto they will tell you that it's no joke. You think people that live it wanna be there? It's not ture. A lot of people don't understand this, and ?I've had to explain this a million times to Canadian alone. But the explanation is way too long for me to get into. Let me just say that the point of gangsta rap is not to be a gangsta. Tupac4Life will probably understand where I'm coming from.

but I understand why it seems that way, because it would seem the way you see it as. but I know it's hard for people to understand this, but if you live it, it's a lot easier to get it and I'm not trying to get upset, but it's just that there's too many people that don't understand the whole point and message of rap.

yeah, that's the problem with most kids. They do talk about growing up in the ghetto, but the point of it is to make it seem like hell and tragedy so that no one follows them, and the problem is there are too many people who haven't lived it, and they think that they're supposed to go out and follow what they're talking about.

Oh boy I see we have a big problem here! Ok....me and my homie Monster X. both like rap music we can really relate to it. Now I only read a few sentences from each post I aint gonna read all these people hating on rap. Now some one said 2PAC first of Pac was realy music. I know rap may seem crazy and yes some rap music is not real music. But that that's not the music that's the artist. Some rappers only rap about killing guns and stuff like that. I admit thats not good, but 2pa rapped about Love/life/family everything!! All my quotes in my profile are tupac's quotes... I am not going to post a lot of his lyrics, but heres a few.
"I see no changes all I see is racist faces, misplaced hate leaves disgrace for races."
In one song Tupac said I sell rocks, but it feels good putting money in the mailbox I love payin rent when the rent is due. See Tupac was real music rap is real music it depends on how you take it. Now someone said their boyfriend changed since listening to 2pac.
Don't blame that on Tupac that's his own fault everyone is responsible for their own actions. Now in a few songs Tupac said for all the seeds who follow me learn from my mistakes. See Tupac said don't give up and m=be a better person. Before Tupac died he even went to a town or should I say ghetto something you people who have it good would not know about. Tupac said each month theres no crimes he will help people from the community fix up their house and apartments.

SO SOMEONE TELL ME HOW IS Tupac A BAD PERSON?

IT'S NOT THE MUSIC IT'S THE PERSON WHO LISTENS TO IT IT'S THEIR REACTION TO IT. SEE IT'S SIMPLE IF YOU CAN'T HANDEL IT IT'S SIMPLE DON'T LISTEN TO IT.


NOW SO WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT RAP? HUH

Most of the pop music is bad give me Nirvana any day I try to convince my friends that it's stupid, but the popular kids like it, so they do to... Just wanted to let you know, not all kids listen to that crap

Sorry but rap is not crap. Might not be your cup of tea, but it is not crap. If you listen, you can find something good in all music. No matter what kind.

]READ THIS ALL OF IT! & Tell me what is so bad about this, this is rap music~~Tupac Shakur


Artist: 2Pac
Album: Greatest Hits
Song: Brendas Got A Baby
Homepage: http://hem.passagen.se/deathrow/
Brenda's got a Baby
Brenda's got a Baby
I hear Brenda's got a baby
Well, Brenda's barely got a brain
A damn shame
Tha girl can hardly spell her name
(That's not her problem, that's up ta Brenda's family) Well let me show ya how it affects tha whole community Now Brenda never really knew her moms and her dad was a junky Went in debt to his arms, it's sad Cause I bet Brenda doesn't even know Just cause your in tha ghetto doesn't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist tha temptation
Brenda got herself a boyfriend
Her boyfriend was her cousin, now lets watch tha joy end She tried to hide her pregnancy, from her family Who didn't really care to see, or give a damn if she Went out and had a church of kids
As long as when tha check came they got first dibs
Now Brendas belly is gettin bigger
But no one seems ta notice any change in her figure
She's 12 years old and she's having a baby
In love with tha molester, who's sexing her crazy
And yet she thinks that he'll be with her forever
And dreams of a world with tha two of them are together, whatever He left her and she had tha baby solo, she had it on tha bathroom floor
And didn't know so, she didn't know, what ta throw away and what ta keep She wrapped tha baby up and threw him in tha trash heep I guess she thought she'd get away
Wouldn't hear tha cries
She didn't realize
How much tha tha little baby had her eyes
Now tha babys in tha trash heep balling
Momma can't help her, but it hurts ta hear her calling Brenda wants ta run away
Momma say, you makin' me lose pay, tha social workers here everyday Now Brenda's gotta make her own way Can't go to her family, they won't let her stay No money no babysitter, she couldn't keep a job
She tried ta sell crack, but end up getting robbed
So now what's next, there ain't nothin left ta sell
So she sees sex as a way of leavin hell
It's payin tha rent, so she really can't complain
Prostitute, fair slang, and Brenda's her name, she's got a baby
Brenda's got a Baby
Brenda's got a Baby
I hear Brenda's got a baby
Well, Brenda's barely got a brain
A damn shame
Tha girl can hardly spell her name
(That's not her problem, that's up ta Brenda's family) Well let me show ya how it affects tha whole community Now Brenda never really knew her moms and her dad was a junky Went in debt to his arms, it's sad Cause I bet Brenda doesn't even know Just cause your in tha ghetto doesn't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist tha temptation
Brenda got herself a boyfriend
Her boyfriend was her cousin, now lets watch tha joy end She tried to hide her pregnancy, from her family Who didn't really care to see, or give a damn if she Went out and had a church of kids
As long as when tha check came they got first dibs
Now Brendas belly is gettin bigger
But no one seems ta notice any change in her figure
She's 12 years old and she's having a baby
In love with tha molester, who's sexing her crazy
And yet she thinks that he'll be with her forever
And dreams of a world with tha two of them are together, whatever He left her and she had tha baby solo, she had it on tha bathroom floor
And didn't know so, she didn't know, what ta throw away and what ta keep She wrapped tha baby up and threw him in tha trash heep I guess she thought she'd get away
Wouldn't hear tha cries
She didn't realize
How much tha tha little baby had her eyes
Now tha babys in tha trash heep balling
Momma can't help her, but it hurts ta hear her calling Brenda wants ta run away
Momma say, you makin' me lose pay, tha social workers here everyday Now Brenda's gotta make her own way Can't go to her family, they won't let her stay No money no babysitter, she couldn't keep a job
She tried ta sell crack, but end up getting robbed
So now what's next, there ain't nothin left ta sell
So she sees sex as a way of leavin hell
It's payin tha rent, so she really can't complain
Prostitute, found slain, and Brenda's her name, she's got a baby
Baaaaaaaaby


~~2Pac

I'm stating my opinion. And I didn't mean only rap like I stated.

Oh if you don't like rap muic that's fine. I'm trying to get my point across that rap music in not bad it's simply the way poeple react to it. If you gonna listen to it fine just don't let it go to your head don't do everything u hear. It's not the rapper that makes you do crimes it your own choice to do it.

I like your song, but there's some out there...

exactly! I'm just saying to all those that think rap is garbage, that's because you can't realte to it, I mean, me and Tupac4life can relate to it because we live it everday. If you don't like rap I have no problem with that, I mean everyone thinks differently, but don't say its crap and garbage just becasue you can't relate to it or because you don't understand. for me I happen to like it becasue i'm coming from the same circumstances as they are.

I like a few songs here and there, but none by these new rappers. All they seem to rap aboot his money and hoes..(not all of them..but it seems most do).

oh well..

Eazy E!

I like old rap. A lot of the new stuff... I can't listen to. But Beastie Boys...

Yah the old stuff is pretty good. Its a shame to see what its turned into..but then again..

people like simple plan call themsevles rock and roll...so...*sigh*

I miss real music

yeah I know, that goes under bad rap, I don't much care for thsoe types of songs, but thug rap isn't like that material crap. and for those who think it, not all rap is like about money and such

Real music, Boff?
Been extinct since 1997.

When rappers stop calling women "b*****s and hoes" and stop calling each other "niggers" and wearing all that "bling" and glorifying pimps you can come and talk to me about this supposedly powerful message they're sending.

Defend your favourite rappers all you want, it doesn't mean in the least that they're sending out a good message. I don't doubt that some of these people have had a hard life, but their whole careers are based on their hard luck childhoods. The worst off, the more famous they are.

Alright,i used to hate rap,cause it seemed like during every song,it sounded almost identical,and all they did was wave their hands around with some boring beat in the back,and constantly swearing.It seemed pointless to me.But after monsta explained it about a million times,i get it now.I still don't listen to much of it,but i get the point of rap,and the "message"from it.It seems depressing to hear about all that in rap,but it's to show how tough life is there,and it is to make others aware of it.I like a few rap songs,but not many,but i respect it nonetheless.Now i know monsta isn't gonna like the following...but eminem is basically the only rapper that i like,and keep track of his music.Blacks are sometimes offended by him,cause he has done a racist song before,and he doesn't send a "message" that the other rappers do.But since i am white(most whites don't pay attention to the meaning of the lyrics of each song)he seems cool,cause i pay attention to the beat,and eminem himself.I'm now worried what the "message" is like blacks are.Everything about rap is just different lifestyles.Regular black rappers are for the more harsh,ghetto side of life.And eminem is the lighter side of rap,that is to just enjoy,not worry about the history of it.Basically,eminem is another style of the regular rock,but a way different style.And many blacks don't like him,cause he doesn't send a "message",and cause they don't really understand his way of rapping,which is the same with whites and not understanding regular black rappers.

No they don't.Simple plan refers to themself as new age rock.

Oh yeah, it really does a good job of showing how hard life is.
Hundreds of bikini-clad women strutting around men in designer thousand dollar high-tops throwing money at the camera and swearing while explaining to the world they got that successful through criminal actions.
Great!

I'm not talkin about what their image is.It's the lyrics that they explain the toughness of life.As i said,i don't really like rap either,but many blacks do,and it's just something that you gotta let go,and just respect other's opinions.Seems weird to us,but not to them,so it's very hard to explain.If they wanna watch and listen to rap,then let them.If they don't,then they will just ignore it.It's not something that everyone needs to freak out about.

but the fact that they call thereselves rock at all. They're pop. Just pop. Not pop rock, pop punk, or pop country. They are pop. Just trying to get the message through

Simple Plan blows too. Let's not get started on that subject.

first off, when they call people b*****s and hoes, they're talking not talking about all women. they're talkiing about the ones without enough self respect to make something of themselves. now about the use of teh word nigger. NO ONE here understands it better than me. I've been called nigger and faced all kinds of racist bastards. in the hood, a nigger is a street thug, we only view the blacks that are making life hard for us with all their gang crap. niggers are the blacks that are making this difficult. it's impossible to uinderstand unless you're black so I'm not gonna even try since I'm the only one who has any clue about the reality of this. and no not all rappers have had a hard life, Like Eminem, that's why I hate him. but the good ones, Tupac Bigge DMX they've all had hard lives and they come form a tough background. The message of thug rap, by calling others niggers and threating people with guns and tek 9s is to show you that it''s not a gloamorous life. the reason they make it seem so harsh is because they're tryig to convey how hard it is to live in that life. I don't mean to be offensive but it's pretty offensive to me becasue I come from that background and it's tough to make it where I come from. as for all that bling, rap like that is no good becasue it defeats the point. I can name several rappers who are good ad bring reality to the world and several who are fake. now i'm only talking about thug rap and don't think I'm speaking for all types, but it's offensive to have people say that it's gatbage becasue it represents the type of life i've had, so it's like you're saying my life and how it goes down is all some BS that's no one should care about.

100% agreed.
Sorry, but their lyrics and 'messages' mean nothing if all they're doing is being stupid, rich, and idiotic. Kids see what they're doing, they don't listen to them, and they copy. Monkey see, monkey do.
And as far as i'm concerned, i have listen to these lyrics, and all i ever here is b**** this, hoe that, lowrider this, money that, etc etc.

No?Well,simple plan does not blow.Or at least to teens it doesn't.Maybe to adults it does,but that kind of music is not made for adults.It's made for teens,bottom line.

another I wanted to add, it's different out here than it is in Canada so that is probably why it's hard bor you to understand it like i do Dis and Burnside. I hope I didn't offend anyone, but this sbuject is very personal

Once again, saying only teens like it. Not all teens do. I dont. Lots of my friends don't. Almost everyone at my school hates them.

Well don't watch it then.It's the damn parent's fault for letting their kids watch it

Good for you,and good for them Anyways,not all teens like simple plan,but most do.

MHX, since you've supposedly lived this life that most of these so-called rappers have lived, you understand where they're coming from, what they're trying to say, etc, etc. You've been there. I can totally understand that.

BUT try to understand where I'm coming from. I live in a big city. But I've never seen a ghetto. And you know what else? I don't think too many people really have either. Every city has it's poorer areas but no real ghettos.

My point is, how much of the population can really truly understand what these rappers are trying to say? The majority of the record buyers are middle and upper class white kids with something to prove! What happens when them and their friends listen to that kind of music, listening to women being called b*****s and hoes, pimps are awesome, guns, drugs, and all that. I don't care WHO these people are. It doesn't matter to these kids what's happened to them in the past, all they know is that they're rich and successful NOW. They don't get it and don't want to get it.

I wouldn't doubt you'd be pretty disgusted with the black kids in my city. Most of them are little thug wannabes terrorising anyone they can. Dressed with their pants down to their ankles, wearing bling.... walking by you'll usually hear some kind of foul language. I've been called a b**** because I supposedly looked at someone funny!!!

These kids are spitting images of 50 cent and Eminem. No, rap music isn't 100% to blame, but hey, they aren't completely innocent either.

Don't bring eminem into that thug sh**.He doesn't wanna be a thug,he is a image for white teens and adults.Keep your point to the black thug rappers.

When I was 14 my mom took away my Nirvana tape. I just got my friend to make me a copy and I listened to them with my headphones on.

Kids will listen to whatever they want to listen to.

yeah, I;m sorry if I offended anyone, but it's so hard to explain. but I come from the same areas these rappers do. I actually grew up in the same ghetto snoop dogg is from. and I don't thik that degrading women is awesome, but I understand what they're trying to do by it. I think that me and tupac4life are the only ones who will ever understand because it's our background, and it's where we come from. It's hard to explain, but being black (especially out here in America) most people look down on us, and you can't imagine the types of racism and bullshit I've had to deal with just for being what I am. it's impossible to explain really, but I'm glad you get it now and yeah of course not all rap has a message, and there is a lot of it that's pointless crap, but there's also rap with a real message too, that's all I'm saying

But Nirvana rocks! How could she do that?