View Points: Are Lyrics Violent?

In the story I read about the school shooting that was triggered possibly by the music the boy was listening to. This story reiterated that music has A huge impact on the listeners. In this particular genre, the negative behavior expressed "glamorizes violence" and makes the listeners think that violence and offensive behavior is okay. In the story, the 13 year old boy was a normal respectable kid who sang at church and got good grades. That Christmas, he bought Tupac and Bone Thugs ~N~ Harmony. His parents had no idea who these artists were but they didn't think anything of it. This boy, being an avid listener to the rap and gangster music, started to change the way he acted at school according to his fellow students, flashing gang signs in the hallways. He started signing the lyrics at school which consisted of words such as, " cockin the 9 and ready to aim/Pullin the Trigger/To blow out your brains/Bones got a gang/Man we crept and we came,"(Crept and we came by Bone Thugs). These violent images began to stick in the minds of many students, and is still being listened to every day. According to the investigation, "Several students verified that the theme and message of this music is that killing and being on death row are cool". With the glamorization of violence, the students have desensitized themselves into thinking that violence and offensive language is not as offensive as before rap was created because everyone listens to it and because the famous people sing it, it is okay to do. Listeners look up to their favorite artists and if the artists are saying its okay to be offensive and violent, then the listeners will be offensive and violent. I really think this is a great example of how music impacts its listeners and how society has focused a lot more on the music and telling a story with the music instead of just playing with it and making people happy just by the music aspect. The lyrics in a song always tell a story and rap brings a painful reality to its listeners of what the artists dealt with growing up or just bring a certain reality to those who dont understand. Because most of the growing fan base hasn't experienced the artists' lives though, the listeners could twist the meanings subconciously and make it into something they think is cool because it is different from what their life experiences are.

Pelley, Debbie. "Violent Song Lyrics Encourage Aggressive Behavior in Children." At Issue: Violent Children. Ed. Bryan J. Grapes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 .