Should the government censor lyrics of songs that are violent or expletive, for example “gangsta”rap?

There is an ongoing debate about the impact of music on certain listeners – especially music such as « gangsta » rap, with lyrics linked to violence and illegal acts. There is widespread disagreement, for example between the music industry and parents’ groups, about the effect such music has on young listeners, and their behaviour, i.e. does it encourage them to behave in a particular way?


I think that Government censorship is a dangerous form of statist control. Even if one accepts the argument for some limited form of government censorship to protect public morals, this needs to be very precisely and conservatively defined to avoid the slippery slope towards creeping totalitarianism. Allowing censorship of popular culture on grounds that the lyrics are mildly subversive is unwelcome as it incorporates a very expansive view of the proper ambit of government regulation. This issue is properly the concern of parents, who should take more interest in, and responsibility for, the music (and films, TV, internet use) to which their children are exposed.

I don't think a certain form of music is going to influence kids in a certain way. I am against censorship, just as you are, and I feel that the "explicit" label on an album with questionable lyrics should simply be a warning to parents. If their kids choose to buy the album, that's not a governmental issue. That's between the kids and their parents.

There are many factors that motivate someone to commit a crime. I highly doubt a Snoop Dogg album is going to influence them to do that.

Yes. Little kids are getting exposed to that stuff way too early in life.

Most of the Rap/Hip-hop/ your "gangsta" is about SEX DRUGS and WOMAN.



True. But the parents wouldn't have to worry about it if it wasn't there in the first place.

I'm against it. Kids are going to hear it anyway. At school ,TV, at home...(well for me at least lol

Is there an issue of government trying to censor rap music?

yeah.

Yeah. kids are not mature enough to handle the music. It doesnt suit best for them. It does encourage or influence a child to have a totally differemt reactions.

Excuses Excuses Excuses Excuses

First off I realize that some kids are born with a certain temperate from a psychological point of view, but it’s the parents fault for not properly teaching their kids right from wrong. I listen to gangster rap(all types of music for that matter) and it has no effect on my whole outlook on life. Never have I once felt the need to go out and harm another individual because of the music or any form of entertainment because I realize its all entertainment. I can distribute from right from wrong very easily, and personally I myself would have trouble killing a human being in self defense. I think kids that commit crimes are responsible for their own actions, and they are just looking for an excuse because they figure they can get away with it. People just look for the perfect opportunity and excuse to swindle the law into their own hands. Just like those kids who played GTA: San Andreas and were inspired to go paint graffiti around the city. The video game did not take you do the specific destination in which you decided to paint, but you yourself decided to do so. Just simply be a man/woman and own up to your actions instead of looking for away out of your own wreck less mistakes. If they are going to place a censorship on the gangster rap I will have no problem just so long has they place censorship on the movie industry as well.

If the government really wanted to put an end to so called gangster rap then it would stop go to every poor neighborhood and eliminate all the drug dealers, stride to put more money into helping the disadvantage instead of launching million dollar missiles at vacant buildings. This would more than likely reduce the crime rate somewhat(if not then disregard that statement), but to just single out rap, I myself have suspicions on the governments intentions and motives.

Is the government actually trying to do this though?

Edit // Post 1000

*gasp* A debate that doesn't involve religion. *gasp*



Ok. The red should help proove my point, if I did the coloring right, but anyways.
This is you though. Slightly biased. [What isn't these days though] Sure you dont but what about little Johnny down the block who is only 9? He listens to this, thinks OH GUN! ME SHOOT! and then what happens?



But that's just it. Not that many kids get that it's entertainment.



Kids ARE responsible for the crimes they commit. Kids THINK they could get away with whatever they do by blaming the music. But when the kids do a crime that is perfectly spelt out in a song, that raises up a couple of questions.




My colorization prooves the point. They were INSPIRED to tag places from this game.




Alright. The red, they are TRYING TO DO! There are so many...we can't get 'em all but we can take a chunk out of them.

The green= Wtf? Launching missles at vacant missles? Care to explain that one?

and the blue. Care to explain that one as well?

"Why did you commit this crime?" "Because I listened to a gangsta rap song that inspired me to."

Okay, no one is going to do that. And even if that happens, it's probably a small minority and the person committing the crime will be fairly punished for it. Why don't people ban movies like Madagascar because it could "encourage you to break out of your home"? And Lion King because it could "encourage you to fight other people"? Or Recess: School's Out for "encouraging you to break into a school"?

It's not the lyrics and content that are supposedly influencing kids, it's the interpretation. If someone is wise enough not to let it influence them, then good, but if they aren't, they'll suffer the consequences.

Its just it though, KIDS aren't WISE ENOUGH to NOT let it influence them. The phrase Young and Stupid is coming to mind right now..

They will suffer the consequences though. But we already have a big enough issue with adults commiting the crimes.

And that is why I said parents should be more responsible for their kids.


Yet again, where are the parents to guide their kid in the proper direction and also observe what their kids listen to.


Its just an excuse the kid uses because he always had the desire to pull off something daring. Its apparent that before the kid commited the crime it was planned and he had time to think things through. Again why aren’t the parents better role models to the kids.


By saying they were inspired, they were simply using an excuse.


Pardon me, I had to laugh at that.
Care to read over it again.


I feel the need to quote myself.


No doubt from a psychological aspect it does influence the kids behaviors but I did say that if they are going to have a censorship over gangster rap ,which already has a parental advisory tag on the label , then they should censor movies no matter the rating. To just single out gangster rap as the main problem is being without a doubt bias. The fault however still lies on the stores that are allowing kids to purchase the material and the parents for not being more observant to what their kids listen to.

Like legally buying cigatettes at 18, and alcohol at 21, the idea of exposing children to gangsta rap at an appropriate time is a good idea. i think it should be up to the child's parents to determine that age. The government should offer a rating system as they already do to inform parents of musical content.

Censorship won't help anything. A rating system is more appropriate. There is a lot of underground music that is easily accessible over the internet that bypasses mainstream distribution channels. It's easy to set up home recording studios and distribute music that way as well. It's impossible to effectively censor music with these non-traditional options readily available.

well in stations and on tv when the songs or music videos are being shown they take out the inapropriate(sp?) language. Its just the image that they dont take out, such as all the booty shaking and all of that other stuff. Parents should watch out for what there kids are watching/ hearing. The government should so something but so should the parents.

*ah yes a rebuttle*

So basically everyone is saying that it's up to the parents. Well hm..I'll use my own life as an example. I own many artist's cd's that my parents HATE and that if they KNEW i had them..my head would be sitting next to me, not on me. I can get Cd's of songs that my parents dont like and they have NO CLUE what exactly is going on.

Parents CANT always CONTROL what their kids come into contact with.



Parents are just starting to not give a damn. That's it.

'sides, the parents wouldn't have to worry, become a parent if they knew it wasn't out there in the first place.

Okay, right now there is no censorship of "gangsta rap", etc and you can walk to the mailbox without getting mauled and beaten to death. This problem right now is very minimal or at least where I live, but when asked, I don't think many people will say their influence was a song or artist.

And like you said KIDS aren't WISE ENOUGH, but they will get wiser when they are no longer KIDS. They will be ABLE to commit the crimes, but they can rethink their actions and the consequences. This is idealistically of course, but the reality is right now and a walk around your neighborhood is not catastrophic...

I think "gangster rap" is a bad influence but shouldn't be used as an excuse for crimes kids commit. I was watching MTV news and the lead singer of Oasis said hip hop/rap should be banned and that 50 cent and Eminem are bad influences...and that kids commit crimes because of those songs...i was like "WTF", is he blaming hip hop/rap artists for the crimes that being commited?
That's just stupid.

But still most of the criminals listen to gangsta rap...it's violent...and raw.

Ok. I'm going to sound like a hippie when I say this but it's true.

Hearing violent music gives you a violent tension about you.

i'll edit and add more later..

"Hippie" music has a long shelf life. Kids today know the Greatful Dead and Jimi Hendryx. Unfortunately must rappers don't enjoy 15 minutes of fame unless they've done something to make news headlines. It's too bad they need to use controversy to promote their music. Whatever happened to the Woodstock vibes?

To all you rap lovers, I'm not hatin the music or anything. I'm just making an observation. I'll always love a lot of the old school stuff from the days of grandmaster flash.

eh..too lazy to hit the edit button. anyways.

I'm not saying anything about hippie music. I'm saying I probably sound like a hippie when I say that music that talks about violence gives you a violent vibe about everything.

I've HEARD of jimi hendryx..

its not rap music that influences kids to commit crimes its the parents responsibility to keep up with their kids and how they're behaving if they dont want their kids to be criminal then raise them the right way mentioning that crime dont pay (even though it does alot of times ) i am FIRMLY against censorship of anything including rap and not just gangsta rap i mean look at grind with me/grind on me they had to change the title of the edited version because they censored it and the song is like completely different especially the chorus but seeing the way society looks down on rap it will probably eventually be completely censored someday

I was agreeing w/ you and adding my $0.02!

I am against censorship by the government. Companies, feel free to censor whatever it is you feel is inappropriate for your audience. Any private entity is allowed to censor, or refuse to publish something that they don't like, but for the government to impose censorship is against our freedom of speech and press.

Yes. No one can deny our right to freedom of speech. But when that freedom is WARPING KIDS HEADS and making them think murder is cool& beating up a woman is alright [i swear i'm not a feminist..] that's just bullshit in the form of a shiny rainbow tinted disk.

And once again, people are pointing the finger at the parents. *sigh* Parents sometimes don't even know that the kids have it! Some parents could give a rats ass. Some parents just DONT CARE.

When that happens, matters need to be taken into hands. Hands of higher authority.



Your 2 cents are greately appreciated on this end.

Gangsta rap is a form of entertainment like any other. Some of its purveyors may use words or imagery that portrays certain criminal acts, but that is because they reflect the culture from which it spawned. Critics miss the subtleties of rap music, in which the rapper often takes on a particular persona in a song and so does not necessarily endorse the views or actions it portrays; rap fans are well aware of these ambiguities. Violence and criminality are also endemic in other forms of entertainment, for example opera and classic films often contain large-scale killing and violence. Trying to link gangsta rap to crime is singling it out amongst entertainment forms for political reasons. Would heavy metal, with its comparable content, be picked on instead if it were the music of a black urban underclass?

it should be the parents responsibility on what children not be left up to the gov't. and many other forms of media portray killing and suicide. the lyrics of many forms of music are abusive. rap music does not encourage these acts . it is an expression of what many rappers went through as youngsters living in impoverished environments.