Marilyn Manson even got blamed for the Columbine High School shootings, even though the killers did not listen to his music.
Of course, rap music gets much of the blame. For example, a recent study by the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Berkeley, Calif., suggests young people who listen to rap and hip-hop are more likely to abuse alcohol and commit violent acts.
And some claim increases in violence in their city are due to rap music!
Eric Armstrong analyzed lyrics from 490 rap songs produced by 13 different artists from 1987 to 1993. He found that 22% of gangsta rap music songs contain violent and misogynist lyrics. According to his study, the fastest selling rap album of all time—Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP—contains 14 songs, and violent and misogynist lyrics are found in 11 (79%) of them: “Worse still, nine of the eleven songs depict killing women, with drowning becoming a new modus operandi. Comparing the lyric content of gangsta rap music’s foundational period with that of Eminem shows the following: In terms of violent and misogynist lyrics, gangsta rap music (1987-1993) scores a 22 percent while Eminem (2000) reaches 78 percent.”
Here are some examples of his music:
Does this matter?
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports:
Singing and music have always played an important role in learning and the communication of culture. Children learn from what their role models do and say. For many years, some children's television very effectively used the combination of words, music and fast-paced animation to achieve learning.
Most parents are concerned about what their young children see and hear, but as children grow older, parents pay less attention to the music and videos that capture and hold their children's interest.
Sharing music between generations in a family can be a pleasurable experience. Music also is often a major part of a teenager's separate world. It is quite common for teenagers to get pleasure from keeping adults out, which causes adults some distress.
A concern to many interested in the development and growth of teenagers is the negative and destructive themes of some kinds of music (rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, etc.), including best-selling albums promoted by major recording companies. The following themes, which are featured prominently in some lyrics, can be particularly troublesome:
- Drugs and alcohol abuse that is glamorized
- Suicide as an "alternative" or "solution"
- Graphic violence
- Sex which focuses on control, sadism, masochism, incest, children devaluing women, and violence toward women
Music is not usually a danger for a teenager whose life is balanced and healthy. But if a teenager is persistently preoccupied with music that has seriously destructive themes, and there are changes in behavior such as isolation, depression, alcohol or other drug abuse, evaluation by a qualified mental health professional should be considered.
There are some great analyses of musicians available online for further study. Many of them are found in the excellent journal called the Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, available here:
They include analyses of
Johnny Cash’s music: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/documents/Gerkin7_5.pdf
Portrayals of violence against women in rap music:
The lyrics of Rage Against the Machine:http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol9is3/finley.pdf
The source and meaning of the phrase “Stop Snitchin’”: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/documents/Woldoff7_6.pdf