rap music research topic

133 Hip Hop Topics & Essay Examples

Looking for exciting hip hop topics to write about? This music genre is still very popular and definitely worth exploring!

• 🏆 Best Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

🎧 Interesting Rap Topics for Essays & Research Papers

• 📌 Most Interesting Topics to Write about
• 👍 Good Essay Topics

❓ Questions About Hip Hop

In your hip-hop essay, you might want to make an overview of the genre or talk about its history. Another option for your rap essay is to compare the old school and the new school of hip-hop. One more idea is to discuss the consequences of the genre’s commercialization.

Want more title ideas? Continue reading! We’ve prepared for you a collection of rap topics and questions for essays and research papers. Hip hop essay examples are added for your inspiration!

🏆 Best Hip Hop Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

• Hip-Hop Music Other creations of hip-hop are the components of the hip-hop lifestyle. A number of unacceptable behaviors in the society have been encouraged by hip-hop leading to a conflict between the ambassadors of hip-hop and the […]
• Jazz and Hip Hop: Similarities and Differences Both hip hop and jazz are closely linked and for that matter there are a number of similarities they share prompting some individuals to pronounce that hip hop is ‘the jazz of young individuals in […]
• Similarities between Ballet and Hip Hop Dance is and always shall be a form of expression where the movements performed speak volumes of the emotions and feelings that the dancer is trying to impart to the audience.
• Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar, Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap This will be addressed in this book review as we look at how the author represents his views, interpretations and research about the hip-hop culture2 In this book, Ogbar explores the lyrical world of rap […]
• Hip Hop Dance The TV shows such as the Wild style, Soul Train and Breakin, Beat Street also contributed in showcasing hip hop dance styles during the early periods of hip hop hype.
• Hip-Hop and the Japanese Culture The prevalence of soul dancing in Japan in the earlier years also formed the basis for the wide acceptance of the hip-hop culture into the Japanese culture because soul dancing was common in the streets […]
• Hip-Hop and Rap Impact on Social Inequality For instance, Beyonce is one of the most famous artists in the world who have stated her opinion regarding misogyny related to artists and other black women.
• Planet B-Girl: Community Building and Feminism in Hip-Hop The main idea of the article under analysis is the intentions of female hip-hop artists to prove their choices and demonstrate their abilities by using the same rights male hip-hop artists have already got.
• Jay-Z’s Contribution to Hip-Hop and Fight for Social Justice One should admit that the crime rate among black people in some poor areas is really quite high, and that is another problem Jay-Z covers in his music.
• Hip Hop: Common’s Song “Black America Again” His rap is underground and can be said to be street, as many of the poems cover the theme of the streets and what is happening on them.
• The Impact of Hip-Hop Music Education in Elementary School The theoretical justification of the article is the importance of music, in particular the style of hip-hop, in the formation of the system of interests and career goals of schoolchildren.
• 50 Cent: Hip-Hop Violence in Modern Media At first, society might negatively react to this example because it is associated with the disorder and the desire to break something to deliver the message.
• History of Hip-Hop: Identifying the Organizational Learning Issues The samplers of the 1980s were also more technically limited compared to the artist equipment of the 1990s, which produced a richer and more authentic sound.
• The Hip-Hop Phenomenon of Hyper-Masculinity Sociological Research Question: What lies behind the dominant hyper-masculine paradigm in Hip Hop and Black culture and its various manifestations in lyrics and music videos?
• Hip-Hop Culture Breaking Down Racial Barriers The hip-hop culture going mainstream was the event reflecting the societal concerns of the ethnic minorities. It presents an example of sports and the arts breaking down racial barriers as their participants efficiently cooperate.
• Relationship of Hip-Hop With Race and Identity The beefing between the two hip-hop artists, Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks, indicates a misapprehension existing on hip-hop’s history. Due to the competitive nature of the market, artists try to survive by beefing with their […]
• Hip-Hop Music and Its History in the 80s-90s Hip-hop music was on the rise in the late 80s, and influential rap collectives such as Run DMC and the Beastie Boys provided an outlet for the hip-hop culture to acquire national recognition.
• Hip-Hop and Marijuana Use in College Students It has been estimated that over half of the college student population regularly use marijuana, while over 25% used it during past month.
• Hip Hop Evolution and Racial & Political Conditions A significant influence on the emergence of political and conscious hip hop can be attributed to the Civil-Rights Movements and the Black Power Movements of the 60s and 70s in the United States.
• Hip-Hop as a Vehicle for Unification in Beat Street This resistance to the vilification and stigmatization of their neighborhoods as spaces of crime, chaos, and evil is one of the factors that strengthen community bonds and communal identity in the neighborhoods in question. The […]
• Understanding Hip Hop Made by Jay-Z The story of a hustler is a story of the struggle to make a living. I think the “story of a hustler” is like the stories of the Wild West outlaws.
• Seattle Hip-Hop Scene: Michael “The Wanz” Wansley He was born in 1961 and has been a part of the hip-hop and pop scene of Seattle for the most of his life.
• The History of Hip-Hop Culture in the United States The discography which is represented in the 3rd disc gives a scope of understanding of the main things which worried rappers at the time.
• Analysis of Rap and Hip-Hop Culture: Audience of the Songs and the Purposes of the Singers The same is with the analysis of the songs and music, the critics should be aware of the lived realities of the authors and demographic characteristics of the aimed audience.
• Hip Hop Culture and Music Scratching is a technique which in hip hop culture is used to gauge the expertise of a DJ, as he is expected to produce new sounds simply by moving a record back and forth while […]
• Gay Culture’s Influence on Hip Hop Fashion Gay men have the influence of female fashion design due to the fact that most of the designers of female clothes are men and most of them are homosexual.
• Poverty and Hip-Hop: Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” Notorious B.I.G.’s music video for the song “Juicy” was chosen for the analysis because the rapper explored the theme of poverty that deeply affected his life.
• Jazz and Hip Hop Concerts in Comparison Two pieces in the second performance, In Germany Before the War and Mysterious Barricades, were well performed during the concert. There was a deejay on the deck and background dancers to back up the performance […]
• Social Inequality: Hip-Hop Culture and Movement When it comes to defining the term ‘social movement’, it is important to understand that the process of a particular group of people striving to have their voice heard in the public sphere, must be […]
• Social Constructions and Hip Hop Music This process involved the description of the things that I saw at the concert. I described the tone, tempo, and style of music that they sang.
• Hip-Hop Theory and Culture in the Discography G explains the changes in day-to-day living within the ghettos between the artist’s childhood and the present. Most of the lines from the song praise the person that the song is dedicated to.
• Literature Study on the Hip-Hop Concept: A Social Movement and Part of the Industry Hip-hop is a genre that does not obey the taboos but creates new stereotypes, allowing itself to use risky language to convey the text of the songs in a much recognizable and provocative manner.
• Hip Hop Culture in “The Otherside” Documentary Regardless numerous discussions about Hip Hop, this culture remains to be a considerable part of human life that helps to understand that such issue as racial profiling is not only something that is required by […]
• Hip Hop Duo: Kung Foo Grip Though the history of this duo is neither too complicated nor full of some unpredictable and fatal decisions events, it can be used to explain how the lives of two fans of Hip Hop can […]
• The Documentary “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes is a documentary movie that helps not only to understand the nature of hip hop but to connect a single style of music with the necessity of such crucial issues […]
• Hip Hop Definition In fact, many authors underline the fact that commercialization of hip-hop has changed its essence considerably and deprived modern people of the possibility to understand the essence of hip-hop and true reasons for its appearance. […]
• Old School Hip Hop Versus New Hip Hop Music However, although today’s hip hop music does share some similarities with old school hip hop, it is much more superficial and generic, compared to the timeless music of the old school hip hop.
• Hip-Hop and Politics Correlation in the USA The author outlines the life and the creative process of Clive Campbell or otherwise known as DJ Kook Herc, one of the most influential figures in the early history of the hip-hop genre.
• Blacks’ Prison Experiences in Hip Hop Culture Though considering the controversy that has been the “elephant in the room” for quite a time, Dyson clearly takes his argument to an admittedly high level of convincingness, it is not only the consideration of […]
• Hip-Hop Subculture as Answer to Social Inequality One of the most notable aspects of a contemporary living in America is the fact that, as of today, the sub-culture of Hip-Hop had ceased being considered in terms of a largely marginalized socio-cultural phenomenon.
• “Reflections on Hip Hop” by Eric Dyson In the first place, it is necessary to note that prison is seen as the most important factor affecting development of black males’ identity and three types of experiences are singled out.
• Hip Hop Music as Media Influence on the Youth Personally, I love listening to rap music, which many people claim that it has led to the spread of violence among young people.
• Hip-Hop Music and the Role of Women in It: Fight for Women’s Rights in Society While looking at the various roles of women in hip hop and rap, it is also important to note that the way women are presented has various effects on society.
• Women in Hip-Hop Music: A Provocative and Objectified Gender Roles It is one thing that men want women to be in music videos and play a particular role, but women are willing to participate in the videos.
• R&B and Hip-Hop Effect Western Music The music that Michael Jackson released was not based on gender but was based on truth and hope to the people and this gave him a lot of influence in the community reason being that […]
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation The book Ca not Stop Wo not Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation brings out the history of the United States from the eyes of a person who would have been considered a loser […]
• Hip-Hop: News From a Ghetto’s Point of View Youths living in the ghettos have had Hip Hop as one of the most effectual means to voice the social injustice that they experience.
• “Hip Hop“ Subculture: Music, Vocabulary, and Roots Based on an interview with a member of the subculture, the paper will discuss some of the terms used in the subculture, how its members dress and look, as well as how they act.
• Fashion Controversies about Hip Hop Garments The paper will look into controversy that arose over hip hop garment design with the aim of identifying the source of the controversy, key players in the controversy as well as political, social and economic […]
• Hip Hop Infiltrates Asian Music Industry Therefore, if American hip hop music genre infiltrated Asian music industry and an Asian hip hop music variety was invented then hurdles in Asian hip hop can be conquered.
• The Beginnings of Hip-Hop Within the course of three decades, hip-hop has become a part of the mainstream culture. This is one of the details that should be considered.
• The Hip-Hop Genre Origin and Influence Hess, in addition, notes that from 1970s, the development of Hip-hop as a culture has been very complex due to immigrants from different parts of the world, who in one way or another equally contributed […]
• Hip Hop Dancing: The Remarkable Black Beat Because the drum beats was the most danceable segment of the hip hop music, the hip hop musicians increased their focus on the quality of drum beat sequence.
• Socio-Political Foundations of Hip-Hop This presentation is connected to a state of exploitation that continues in the world that has deprived people so much, yet the struggle continues.’The sociology and history of African American’ brings out the theme of […]
• Hip-Hop in Japan However, this was not the case, most of the artists focused on refining their music in the Japanese languages to give it a Japanese flavor.
• Hip Hop Influence on Youth: Statistics and Effects Hip hop music is also said to perpetuate the rise in criminal activities among the youth. It is therefore recommendable for the youth to shun away from the vice brought about by hip hop music.

📌 Most Interesting Hip Hop Topics to Write about

• Copula Variation Across Two Decades Of Hip Hop Nation Language
• How Hip Hop Affect The Way People Think About Politics
• An Overview of the Talk by Tupac Shakur, an American Hip Hop Artist
• Bad Influence Of Hip Hop On Youth
• African American Hip Hop and its Influence
• Hip Hop Music is More Than a Couple of Words
• Codes and Abstraction in Hip Hop Culture
• Black Women’s Role in Popular Culture: An Analysis of The Venus Hip Hop
• Argumentative Essay On Hip Hop Culture
• A Comparison of Classical Ballet and Modern Dance – Hip Hop and Jazz Style
• Should We Accept The Hip Hop Industry Negative Images
• Hip Hop And Politics: Attacking The Political Powers Of Government
• Comparison Of Yorkville Crossing : White Teens, Hip Hop
• Effects Of Hip Hop And Country Music On Society
• A Description of the Image of Hip Hop/Rap Music
• Racial Stereotypes Associated With Rap And Hip Hop Music
• Does Hip Hop Influence Other Parts of the World
• Music Videos Involving Women And The Hip Hop Industry
• Hip Hop : The Commodification Of African American Women
• Hip Hop Culture And Its Impact On The American Society
• The Assault Of Women In The Hip Hop Community

👍 Good Hip Hop Essay Topics

• An Analysis of the Performance of American Hip Hop Group, Travis Porter
• Hip Hop : Beyond Beats And Rhymes By Byron Hurt
• Gender In Black Media Hip Hop Culture
• Positive Women in Hip Hop: Feminism in a Patriarchal Society
• Hip Hop And Rap Has Been The Mainstay For Youth
• Influences of Hip Hop on Today’s Generation: Rising Deviance
• Hip Hop’s Influence on Popular Culture: Expression or Oppression
• An Analysis of Hip Hop and Its Influence on Listeners
• Essay Hip Hop Music and Music Technology
• Existentialism Case – Tupac Shakur: Existentialist Hip Hop Artist
• An Overview of the Rapping and the Hip Hop Culture in the Music of the United States
• Harlem Renaissance & the Hip Hop Movement
• An Analysis of the Elements of Hip Hop Culture
• Contemporary Urban Music: Controversial Messages in Hip Hop and Rap Lyrics
• Compare and Contrast the Subcultures of Hip Hop
• Differing Mentalities In Hip Hop And Rock
• An Analysis of the Music of Talib Kweli, a Hip Hop Artist
• Hip Hop And Its Effects On African Society
• Black Films and Hip Hop Music Videos: Race Representation
• Does Hip Hop Influence Violent Behavior
• Hip Hop And The Birth Of African American Poetry
• American History of Hip Hop Culture
• Does Hip Hop Culture Influence Youth Gangs?
• Who Does Hip Hop Belong?
• Does Hip Hop Harm Black Americans?
• Does Hip Hop Have a Place in the Church?
• What Is the Hip Hop Style of Music?
• Does Hip Hop Influence Other Parts of the World?
• Does Hip Hop Provoke Drug Use and Misogyny?
• How Does Hip Hop Effect Teenagers?
• How Does Hip Hop Affects Society?
• How Does Hip Hop Affect the Way People Think About Politics?
• How Does Hip Hop Connect With Many Different Real-World Problems?
• Is Hip Hop Black Culture?
• How Did Hip Hop Culture Develop During the Seventies?
• How Hip Hop Culture Remains Superfluous With Overspending?
• How Hip Hop Music Is a Culture of Resistance?
• Who Invented Hip Hop?
• How Hip Hop Negatively Affects Society?
• How Hip Hop Negatively Influences Today’s Teen?
• Does Hip Hop Influence Violent Behavior?
• How Does Hip Hop Promotes Violence?
• How Does Hip Hop Start?
• What Has Hip Hop Ever Done?
• How Have Race and Gender Shown Within the Genres of Hip Hop and Rap?
• How Did the Backout 1977 Affect Hip Hop?
• How Are Women Represented in Hip Hop Videos?
• What Are Different Styles of Hip Hop?
• Why Do White Kids Love Hip Hop?
• What Does Hip Hop Stand For?
• How Has Technology Influenced Hip Hop?
• Are Hip Hop and Rap the Same?
• Hobby Research Ideas
• Ethnicity Research Topics
• Dance Essay Ideas
• Inspiration Topics
• Jazz Research Topics
• Youth Titles
• African Americans Paper Topics
• Graffiti Research Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Rap Music and the Empowerment of Today’s Youth: Evidence in Everyday Music Listening, Music Therapy, and Commercial Rap Music

• Published: 16 November 2012
• Volume 30 , pages 139–167, ( 2013 )

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• Raphael Travis Jr. 1  

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Pioneers of various elements of Hip-Hop culture have been empowered through the ability to voice their reality and find a meaningful identity alongside others who found purpose and function in embracing Hip-Hop culture (Chang, Can’t stop won’t stop: A history of the hip-hop generation, 2005 ). This empowerment persists in various reinventions of the culture within the United States and worldwide. The present study examines whether evidence exists in research to support the value of esteem, resilience, growth, community and change as empowering dimensions outlined in the individual and community empowerment framework. Research questions ask: (1) Does youth self-expression in rap music created within music therapy sessions reflect framework dimensions? (2) Does content in commercially recognizable rap music reflect framework dimensions? (3) How well does the framework align with a model of empowerment-based positive youth development? First, data collected to examine the validity of the framework were reviewed. Next, two peer-reviewed research studies published after articulation of the original framework, were examined to investigate commonality between themes and framework dimensions. One study was in a music therapy context and another explored themes in commercial Hip-Hop recordings. Original framework data supports theorizing that rap music content actually comprises developmental narratives (Travis and Deepak, 2011 ; Travis and Bowman, 2012 ). Data in the present study further suggest that these developmental narratives are relevant for Hip-Hop in every day music engagement, in therapeutic self-expression, and within commercially available musical content. Framework dimensions also aligned with a conceptual model of positive youth development that allows specification of intervention pathways and empirically testable outcomes for Hip-Hop integrated change strategies. Results suggest that rap music is a discourse in lifespan development. Rap music’s developmental narratives may be used by practitioners, parents and researchers. The narratives exist within a framework and model that (a) provides a template for better understanding these narratives and (b) positions this understanding for use as a tool to promote and research positive change strategies for individuals and the communities that they value.

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Travis, R. Rap Music and the Empowerment of Today’s Youth: Evidence in Everyday Music Listening, Music Therapy, and Commercial Rap Music. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 30 , 139–167 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-012-0285-x

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Rap/Hip-Hop

• Electro-Funk
• Detroit Techno
• New Jack Swing
• Holy Hip-Hop/Christian Rap
• Jazz Hip-Hop Fusion

G-MAN Park Jam in the Bronx

Key Attributes of Rap/Hip-Hop

• Nightlife/Parties
• Economics/Poverty
• Social Consciousness

Musical Features

• Call and Response
• Electronic Sounds

Instruments

• Electric Guitar
• Electric Piano/Synthesizer
• Other Electronic Instruments

Rap music is stylistically and lyrically diverse, representing a range of experiences and worldviews that characterize the multiple and changing voices among African American youth.

Rap is original poetry recited in rhythm and rhyme over prerecorded instrumental tracks. Rap music (also referred to as rap or hip-hop music) evolved in conjunction with the cultural movement called hip-hop. Rap emerged as a minimalist street sound against the backdrop of the heavily orchestrated and formulaic music coming from the local house parties to dance clubs in the early 1970s. Its earliest performers comprise MCs (derived from master of ceremonies but referring to the actual rapper) and DJs (who use and often manipulate pre-recorded tracks as a backdrop to the rap), break dancers and graffiti writers.

Context and History

Old School Roots: early 1970s to the mid-1980s

From its humble beginnings in the Bronx, NY, rap music has moved into the mainstream, redefining the soundscape and character of American popular culture and contributing to the growth of a billion-dollar entertainment industry. Hip-hop music culture is a product of African American, Afro-Caribbean and Latino inner-city communities plagued by poverty, the proliferation of drugs, and gang violence in the 1960s and early 1970s. Some MCs and DJs were members or former members of gangs who used DJing, dancing, and MCing as an alternative to gang warfare. DJ Kool Herc gave the community its blueprints and its first brand of hip-hop music, called b-beat. Hip-hop DJs and MCs originally performed in local house parties and community centers, city parks, neighborhood block parties, and, eventually, local clubs. By the mid-1970s, performance venues included local clubs whose proprietors recognized the commercial potential of this artistic expression. Record and film producers then noticed and began to capitalize on hip-hop culture. Sylvia Robinson of Sugarhill Records introduced rapping into the mainstream with the release of “Rapper’s Delight” (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang. In the 1980s several commercial hip-hop films such as Wild Style (1982), Style Wars (1983), Beat Street (1984), Krush Groove (1985) and Disorderlies (1987) flooded the market with the sound of rap. Major record companies formed partnerships with independent labels and producers specializing in rap music. MCing evolved into the rap music industry while DJing went underground and re-established itself as turntablism (the art of manipulating music with LP records and mixers to create unique rhythms and sounds). Changes to the musical production of hip-hop, along with growing stylistic diversity and advances in technology, led to the community-imposed concept of an old and new school. The “Old School” is associated with the period from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. Initially, DJs were the featured attraction, juggling beats amplified through large sound speakers and shouting praises and catch-phrases to incite crowd participation. Pioneering DJs include Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash, and Grandmixer D.ST. When their musical collages and turntable manipulations became so complex that they required their full attention, DJs included a crew of MCs to engage and interact with the crowd of dancers. Grandmaster Flash transferred his street or live mixing style to the studio on “Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” (1981). A year later, Afrika Bambaataa ( “Planet Rock,” 1982) advanced the studio DJing tradition through the use of synthesizers, the 808 drum machine, computers, and analog and digital recording machines and other advanced technologies influenced by Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express” (1977), and “Numbers” (1981) coupled with funk aesthetics such as Captain Sky’s “Supersperm” (1978) and the rock-style of Babe Ruth Band’s “The Mexican” (1972).

The Golden Era: Commercialization and the New School Artists (mid-1980s to the mid-1990s)

“New School” rap was coined by the 2nd generation artist (1984) to distinguish the pop sensibilities of the first commercial generation of rap artists and ranged from the pop-oriented humorous style of the Fat Boys (“Jail House Rap,” 1984) and D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (“Parents Just Don’t Understand,” 1988) to the rock-oriented sounds of Run-D.M.C. (“Walk This Way,” 1986). Women rappers like Roxanne Shanté, Salt-n-Pepa, MC Lyte, and Queen Latifah introduced Black women’s point of view to rap fans and proved that they were as skilled and commercially successful as the men. The chaotic sounds of Public Enemy ( It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back , 1988) and N.W.A ( Straight Outta Compton , 1988) became known as hardcore; the harsh lyrical content mirrored the deteriorating conditions of the inner-cities as evidenced by abandoned factories, boarded buildings, dilapidated houses, drug addicts, the homeless, and ongoing confrontations with the police. The hardcore sounds and lyrics of Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, and KRS-One became known as “conscious” rap (also known as “message” and “Afrocentric” rap); those of N.W.A, Ice-T, Ice-Cube, and Eazy-E were called “gangsta” rap. Both styles dominated the hip-hop soundscape through much of the 1990s, but gangsta took over in the 21st century, influencing the styles of Master P, 50 Cent, T.I. and Young Jeezy. Despite this domination, an array of hip-hop styles coexisted, including hybrid productions that fused elements of R&B and/or funk with the beats of hip-hop such as those by MC Hammer, Heavy D and the Boyz, Sean “Puffy” Combs, and Kid ‘n Play. Afrocentric and conscious rappers like Lauryn Hill, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Gang Starr favored soul and jazz samples in their mixes.

Mainstreaming into the 21st Century: mid-1990s to the mid-2010s

In the 2000s, hip-hop music was mainstream. Kanye West’s production and lyricism redirected attention away from gangsta rap and explored a range of topics including his middle-class upbringing, anti-Black racism, corporatism, and his faith presented in full self-aggrandizing style. Additionally, Eminem will become a most revered lyricist, by rap artists and rap fans alike, breaking past an obstacle of white inauthenticity laid down by Vanilla Ice a decade earlier. Musically, music-making turned away from the East Coast and the West coast and found a new home in the South. Several epicenters develop influential styles: Miami (Miami bass), New Orleans (bounce), Houston (screwed), and Atlanta (crunk and trap). By the 2010s, socially conscious rap will crossover into the mainstream as R&B and rap artists respond to tension borne from increased police and vigilante shootings of unarmed Black men, women, and children, and from advances in technology for self-production and instant sharing through social media. Key artists include Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Joey Bada$$. Equally important in the 2010s is the rise of female MCs as producers of critically acclaimed albums, proving once again that rap consumers will purchase their music. Women leading the trend include Nicky Minaj and Cardi B.

Musical Features/Performance Style

Old school rap is associated with a party-oriented musical and lyrical style as heard in Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “Birthday Party” (1981). Performers of the old school (early 1970s–mid-1980s) gained their reputations from live performances. Their recordings are characterized by the use of live bands and/or Latin-influenced percussion; the incorporation of scratching and other turntable effects; call-and-response chants between MCs and crowds; and lyrics delivered in rhymed couplets (A-A-B-B).

New school artists such as Eric B. and Rakim (“Eric B. is President,” 1987) added a virtuoso twist to the A-A-B-B scheme by employing internal rhymes that pair words in the middle of a line rather than simply at the end. The “new school” substituted the aggressive sounds of the street for the party sounds of the old school. This hard-edged aesthetic emphasized dissonance and a heavy backbeat, incorporating real sounds of inner-city life such as gunshots, sirens, street cries, and the occasional political speech. In the 1980s and ’90s, electronic and digital productions of hip-hop increasingly replaced live performances. Synthesizers, drum machines, and computers became the primary instruments and eventually sampled materials from various sources, especially funk, provided the foundation for new songs.

In the late 1990s some new school artists like the Roots and Guru began reincorporating live instruments into their recordings and during live performances, such as “Loungin’,” Guru’s collaboration with jazz great Donald Byrd on trumpet and piano. Others, like Dr. Dre, controlled the production tightly by utilizing the basics of classic funk songs, but slowing down the tempo for riding in a car (not dancing), adding menacing, bass-driven grooves (stripping funk’s bright sounds from the brass section), highlighted by integrating high-pitched synthesizer and chopped samples as in “Nothin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (explicit) . In the second millennium, the southern rap styles explode. Although there is no one southern style, they do share in common some characteristics: rhythmically and melodically minimalistic with coarse accents on the high and low ends leaving a lot of space for vocals.

Early foundations for southern rap emerge come from Miami bass in the mid-1980s made famous by X-rated rappers 2 Live Crew. The sound is grounded on a deep, bass-driven groove that speaks to this cosmopolitan area dance music scene, including Latin rhythms and African-Caribbean song styles like soca, cumbia, rumba, and plena. Southern rap diversified in the 1990s, reflecting local tradition but crossing over to national and international popularity in the 21st century.

Bounce from New Orleans incorporates parade-strutting beats that guide the energetic feel of the music and rappers’ cadences to get dancers to shake their backsides or “twerk.” Examples include David Banner’s “Like a Pimp” (2003), which also includes a signature “Triggerman” sample found in many bounce songs, and Big Freedia “Boot Whop” (2012). In Houston, DJ Screw invented the screw style but unlike other southern rap genres, he slows down the tempo so much that its hypnotic pace matches the dulling effect of the local party drink, sweetened codeine syrup. A song like UGK’s “Short Texas” after DJ Screw re-engineers the song draws out every syllable of UGK’s verses, slurred and deep, and sonically drowsy. By 2000, screwed music (also known as chopped and screwed) would be made more palatable for a national market with an early hit “Sippin’ on Some Syrup” (2000) by Three 6 Mafia and UGK and A$AP Rocky’s “Houston Old Head” (2011), a superstar of the style coming from New York. Both examples maintain the essential elements such as a tempo and groove that is recognizably the style DJ Screw gave Houston fans but with a less narcotic feel.

Atlanta and Memphis will create a new, high-energy club music crunk demarcated by grittier sounds, hoarse chants, antiphonic, repetitive refrains, and the barest-bones beats. Lil Jon’s “Get Crunk” (1997) and Ying Yang Twin’s “Halftime (Stand Up and Get Crunk!)” (2004) are definitive examples. The variety of southern styles will begin to wane by 2007 with the exception of a drug-trade revival style called trap, which will become the most common rap and pop trend in the 2010s. Most heavily produced in Atlanta, trap’s sound is an umbrella term linking various southern regional styles with older styles (like G-funk, house, and techno) and a home-spun, do-it-yourself, entrepreneurial spirit. Trap derives its name from the place (trap house) where drug dealers produce, sell, and use narcotics. Early artists like T.I. and Pusha T of the Clipse paved the way early in the 2000s to make it mainstream. However, the crossover successes of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” (2015) and Migos with Lil Uzi Vert’s “Bad and Boujee” (2017) made rap, R&B, and pop look to trap for musical inspiration. DJs build their sound on a laptop, midi (musical instrumental digital interface), synth pads, keyboards, software, and 808-drum machine. Its restrained simplicity is more complex than one might give credit—manipulating bell timbres, synthetic claps, stuttering the beat, half-time effects, among other DJing techniques. Chicago will borrow extensively renaming it drill rap. While lyrics focus on drug-sales, the sound has been incorporated by non-trap artists like Kendrick Lamar on “Humble” (2017) or cross-over artists like Cardi B on “Bodak Yellow.”

Hip-hop is rooted in the African American oral traditions of “boasting” (self-aggrandizement), “toasting” (narrative poems that sometimes bestow praise), “signifyin’” (indirect insults), and “playing the dozens” (competitive and recreational exchange of insults). “Old school” lyrics are characterized by a recreational party style that exploited the art of boasting. MCs, rapping in rhyme, bragged about their verbal skills and/or the technological manipulations of DJs who “rocked the house.” Performances were competitive within and against other crews as heard in the mock MC battle “Showdown” (1981) by the Sugarhill Gang vs. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. Kurtis Blow’s “Hard Times” (1980) set the stage for an East Coast style that commented on the economic woes, social ills, and deteriorating conditions of inner-cities, but it was “The Message” (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five that established this direction as “New School.” Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions and Sister Soulja transformed these social messages into nationalist political commentary, calling for African Americans to reject the destructive forces in their communities and to embrace racial pride as a means toward empowerment. On the West Coast, N.W.A., Ice-T, Ice Cube, 2 Pac and others sought to resist oppressive forces by arming and defending themselves with weapons. These artists use the lyrics of gangsta rap, which provide graphic descriptions of gang culture and the social ills of inner-city communities, to “murder” and “rob” their competitors through street and gang “banging” metaphors. Combining old school boasting with “bad man” imagery, the microphone becomes an automatic weapon for an MC to “murder” his competitor.

Ice-T’s “Grand Larceny” (1988) employs the metaphor of “robbing” to brag about stealing the show through his superior rapping skills. Such songs have been misinterpreted as being real acts of violence. Gangsta themes continue to overshadow other styles and artists would prove their authenticity as converted, former drug-dealers like Notorious B.I.G. (New York) and UGK (Houston) in the 1990s, 50 Cent (New York) and T.I. (Atlanta) in the 2000s, and Chief Keef (Chicago) and Fetty Wap (New Jersey) in the 2010s. However, with the rise of shooting deaths of unarmed Black men, women, and children by law enforcement officers and vigilantes in the 2010s conscious rappers will re-emerge alongside the activism generated by the Black Lives Matter coalitional movement sparking protests nationwide. J. Cole’s “Be Free” (2014), Joey Bada$$’s “Land of the Free” (2017), and even trap rappers like Pusha T’s “Sunshine” critique the justice system and the lack of accountability. Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” (2014, featuring Pharrell Williams) becomes an anthem of hope and provides a chant for the young, Black protesters: “We gon’ be alright. We gon’ be alright.”

Women rappers in the 2010s took crafting rap music out of the hands of industry moguls and released self-published songs to the delight of rap fans and rappers anxious to collaborate. Nicki Minaj’s clever rhymes and multiple voices on Kanye West’s “Monster” (2010) highlighted that the new kid among a roster of superstars like Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Rick Ross could outshine the masters. Cardi B’s “I Like It” (2018) is an homage to the 1967 Cuban boogaloo classic “I Like it Like That” by Pete Rodriguez with a hearty, trap rap take that proudly asserts sex-positivity and self-sufficient business women making money through art while paying tribute and owning her Africana-Latina identity.

Bibliography

• Chang, Jeff. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation. Picador. 2005
• Orejuela, Fernando. Race and Hip Hop Culture. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 2020.

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Hip-hop music resources.

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Welcome to the Hip-Hop Music Research Guide!

What is Hip-Hop?

Historically, hip hop has had a strong, international influence on music and culture.  It continues to be a powerful part of our society.  The library recognizes it as a significant research area.  This research guide provides resources that will help you find published research about hip hop's influence from social, economic and many other points of view.  Use these resources to develop and support your research interests.

Barack Obama - "The thing about hip-hop today is it's smart, it's insightful. The way they can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable."

Isaac Hayes - "A certain administration which I won't call by name took the arts out of the schools, and that left the brothers out on the street with nothing, so they went to the turntables and started rhyming. Then they had a way to express themselves, and that's the birth of hip-hop."

John F. Kerry - "I'm fascinated by rap and by hip-hop. I think there's a lot of poetry in it. There's a lot of anger, a lot of social energy in it. And I think you'd better listen to it pretty carefully, 'cause it's important."

Russell Simmons - "The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized."

Talib Kweli - "Hip-hop is a vehicle."

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A critical examination of rap music… but i’m not a rapper.

“Nothing more influential than rap music,

I merge jazz fusion with the trap music,

I mix black soul with some rock and roll,

They never box me in, I’m David Blaine-ing all you h***”

• Kendrick Lamar, Black Friday 1

Introduction

It’s violent. It’s explicit. And yet, we love it.

With the flow and rhymes, the beat and sway, the style and swagger, it’s the music of hip-hop that captured the world. It’s a lucrative economy and a firm culture, accounting for over 1/5 of music consumption in America. 2 And yet, its popularity draws in equal amounts of criticism.

            Geraldo Rivera, a FOX News commentator attacked lyrics from Kendrick Lamar’s March 2015 single, Alright : “This is why I say that hip hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years .” 3 The criticism against the rap industry questions the content it produces: Do these rappers not perpetuate misogyny through explicit references to women as “ho*s” and “b*tches”? How can music about “choppers” ripping through the streets not propel more violence to its consumers? 4

Would the Real Rap Music Please Stand Up?

            These questions are not only about what the rappers promote through their music, but also about what type of characters, narratives, and ideas the rap genre introduces. They are questions about hip-hop. Taking in all forms of blues, jazz, and street culture, the hip-hop industry was never a refined item for high society. It was rather assumptive music, primarily due to its early audience: urban, black men. 5 They claimed it as a violent medium that will poison the youth.

How do we reconcile its beauty, yet criticism? The answer is that to examine rap music is not to debate, but to research: what is rap music truly about? We are taking the criticism that rap music has the power to perpetuate violence, misogyny, and racism against the content of the lyrics. This blog examines the content of my favorite rappers and commercial rap music to better understand what rappers communicate through the medium. And perhaps more importantly, how the rappers communicate through the medium. How does power from rap music create its own field of exercise through the rapper’s experience?

Straight out of API

The rap lyrics were obtained from the Genius API , requiring a user Client ID for permission. To be honest, it was not as user-friendly as I initially hoped, and the lyrics required some background knowledge of python to gather text for the corpus. You needed to download the Genius API Module and work with the codes from there. Below demonstrates an example of part of the script to pull off rap lyrics from the artist.

The way I was able to collect the lyrics was through the artist, rather than date, allowing us more flexibility when it comes to examining the music we’re working with. In short, we were able to gather lyrical text documents based on the artist’s work. Some individuals include icons as Eminem, Biggie, Jay-Z, and such.

First Thing is First

The first step of the research is actually a close examination of two artists: Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. By examining the two rappers known for their lyricism and conscious rapping, I wanted to understand the landscape we’re seeing. The pictures below are from WordCounter, which is a web-based text analysis that counts the words used the most often. This is Kendrick Lamar:

And this is J.Cole:

According to the Web-based counter, we can see that explicit terms are used heavily for both internationally recognized rappers. But it’s rather rash to jump to a conclusion and state how this summarizes the state of the rap industry. What’s rather interesting is the word they’ve used the most: “I’m.” This caught my eye. In what ways do these rappers communicate through “I’m” and more importantly, why does it matter? The idea is rather fundamental: if we communicate through the first pronoun, then it’s personal. A further examination into their bigram, which examines the most common two-word phrase, reveals a clearer picture:

Most of the bigram terms the rappers use are in relation to themselves: I don’t, I was, I ain’t, I know, I got. I would argue that this is critical to understanding rap music, especially because of the weight the use of pronouns carries. There’s a reason we were told to write our papers without “I” or “Me”- it leaves out the sense of being objective. “This blog illustrates” over “I will illustrate”. This is because the pronoun often transfers those statements of what’s objective into something more personal. I believe these findings are interesting because the way Kendrick Lamar and J.Cole express their ideas does not just mean that these statements are not just made by rappers, but they are also made through them.          

      So, can we draw this idea out further to the commercial rap industry?

STOP! RStudio Time

With over 41 artists who accomplished major record labels, the corpus is built with over 4 million words (4,747,987 words to be more precise). The first query was the clustering tool in RStudio. With the function that gathers 10 words strongly associated with one another, what can we from 13 random clusters?

The clustering function is an attempt to find interesting relations between the words rappers use in their work. Some make intuitive sense, such as cluster [12]. Everything associated with “Light” associates with one another. Perhaps, they’re describing their own journey as a light or a hidden star. Some clusters provide more interesting associations. Take cluster [4], there are concepts of freedom associated with wealth, destiny, justice, slavery- topics that are beyond the idea of going to strip clubs and burning paper money. Its neighbor, cluster [5] is just as interesting: political tension and commentary about the dynamics of power, political authority, and the media.

The cluster isn’t just a demonstration of how “light” is associated with “sight” or “camera”. It’s also showing us the ideas that rappers associated the ideas of “slavery” and “peace”, “government” and “corruption”, “racism” and “fighting” awfully close together. This suggestion of rap music seems to require a stronger perception of what the rappers can actually communicate. So, how does this relate to our first examination of Kendrick and J.Cole? Based on the way the two rappers rap, with the use of personal pronouns, the way these rappers communicate these ideas aren’t just poignantly perceptive, but also personal. But how this idea further expands the criticism and debate behind the commercial rap industry?

Well, this is my next question: when we examine terms, such as money, power, and sex , can we understand the particular way rappers communicate these ideas?

Word Associations

The next step of the research is querying, where we investigate individual words and find the words closest to the particular word in vector space. These are the results based on typing rich, powerful, and sex respectively:

What I found interesting was the way they refer to these terms in contrast in terms of money and power, yet similarity in sex. For when rappers refer to being rich, they also mention “poor”, “broke”, and “unhappy”. And yet for sex, they often refer to “cougar”, “dolls”, and “women”. The implication of this query relates to the idea of misogyny and the rap industry. After all, the terms referred to women are used liberally for all rappers- both east and west coast alike. But I think there is one additional idea we can see through the word “rich”. We can see that the rappers try to present a bigger picture: rich, poor, hoodrats, extraordinary. The terms associated with “rich” also imply the stories of struggle, success, and even the downside of being rich with the word “unhappy”. The trauma of the streets, trials of poverty and racism, the power exertion of gender, are all tensions we understand when it comes to rap music. It’s what makes it brutal, yet reflective of American culture- at least, one part of it. But this examination asks the question we have from the start: how do we confront this tension? What can this research and textual query have a say about it?

Rap music, like all other music, has a story. It’s a history of inheriting the narratives of black culture and African American struggle that makes the industry critical, yet honest. 6 It’s music that was meant to communicate across all different ideas 7 : race, wealth, gender, religion, and so much more. And perhaps, more notably, it’s music that invites individuals to communicate their ideas, lives, and beliefs into this medium. In short: rap music, at its core, is experiential. This idea points to both the beauty and criticism it invites.

When experience is embedded in art, it turns real. It asks for engagement with who we are as individuals and as a society, with ideas and values that govern our everyday life. It introduces voices we weren’t able to hear or consider from before. They prompt us to articulate and think of the everyday life we live and how we experience it, not only as individuals but as communities and as a society. The research in this blog only scratches the surface of what rap music is and has to offer. There are glaring limitations to the project and the data I’ve collected. If I were to continue my research, more specificity in terms of what kind of rappers would be the next step of this project. What about women rappers? Why didn’t I differentiate between geographies or style or time?

My biggest hope in this research was to dig deeper into the dialogue of rap music and what it means for me, as well other fans and consumers. It was not meant to take a side of an argument, but to further expand on the implications of each side. This is an invitation to both the readers and me to subject our view of rappers and the rap industry for critical examination- to understand how to listen to rap music, and why.

• Lyons, Patrick. “A Tale Of 2 Black Fridays: Comparing & Contrasting J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar’s Remixes.” HotNewHipHop , HotNewHipHop, 1 Dec. 2015, www.hotnewhiphop.com/a-tale-of-2-black-fridays-comparing-and-contrasting-j-cole-and-kendrick-lamars-remixes-news.18914.html.
• Leight, Elias. “Hip-Hop Continued to Dominate the Music Business in 2018.” Rolling Stone , Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2019, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hip-hop-continued-to-dominate-the-music-business-in-2018-774422/.
• Maine, Samantha, et al. “Fox News Reporter Responds to Kendrick Lamar Diss, Says ‘Hip-Hop Has Done More Damage than Racism.’” NME , NME, 15 Apr. 2017, www.nme.com/news/music/geraldo-rivera-responds-to-kendrick-lamar-diss-2050745.
• Johnson, James D., Lee Anderson Jackson, and Leslie Gatto. “Violent attitudes and deferred academic aspirations: Deleterious effects of exposure to rap music.”  Basic and applied social psychology 1-2 (1995): 27-41.
• Krims, Adam, and A. Krims.  Rap music and the poetics of identity . Vol. 5. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
• Porterfield, Kristen. “A Critical Approach to Rap Music.” (2017).
• Keyes, Cheryl Lynette.  Rap music and street consciousness . Vol. 517. University of Illinois Press, 2004.

This project was created using the CERES: Exhibit Toolkit with help from the Digital Scholarship Group at the Northeastern University Library .

University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Rap and Hip-Hop Research Resources

• Getting Started
• Finding Background Information
• Recordings, Lyrics & Song Analysis
• Finding Articles
• Selected Library Books & Videos
• Rap & Hip-Hop Around the World

Music & Performing Arts Library

Introduction

This page includes resources for finding popular and scholarly articles about rap and hip-hop. We've included some suggested music databases below as well as recommendations of specific publications to check out in the next box. If you need a refresher on how to find articles through an academic database, check out our library guide.

• Finding Journal Articles for Music Research This guide is an introduction (or a refresher) to searching for, accessing, and evaluating articles for music research.

Suggested Databases

The best place to find scholarly articles is in one of the  library's databases . The University of Illinois subscribes to over a thousand different databases that can help you access the content you need. It can be overwhelming to know how to start searching, so we've pulled out a list of recommendations to get you started.

Music Periodicals Database and Music Index will provide more coverage of commercial journals while RILM will provide a more academic approach.

• Music Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window IIMP Full Text is a music journal resource with more than half a million indexed articles, plus detailed abstracts and full text from 1874 to current, covering the scholarly to the popular.
• Music Index This link opens in a new window Featuring digitized content from 1970 to the present, the Music Index contains cover-to-cover indexing and abstracts of articles about music, musicians and the music industry for more than 480 periodicals. more... less... Alternate Access Link
• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature This link opens in a new window RILM coveres articles in over 11,000 journals, many of which are not specifically devoted to music. more... less... Alternate Access Link

Publications of Rap & Hip-Hop Material

There are four major types of publications to be aware of when researching rap and hip-hop:

1. Commercial journals and magazines such as  VIBE , Billboard, and The Source.

2. General new sources such as the  New York Times  and  The Village Voice .  

3. Scholarly journals such as  Popular Music  and  Popular Music and Society .

4. African American Studies scholarly and popular publications such as  Journal of Black Studies  and  Ebony .

We've included several recommended sources of each type to start with in the box below. If you're just looking for a place to browse, use the tabs to explore the different types of publications available through the Library.

Looking for a specific journal? Check the  library catalog  or our  Journal and Article Locator tool  to see if we have it in print and/or online.

Recommended Publications

• Commercial Journals
• General News Sources
• Scholarly Journals
• African American Studies Publications
• Billboard Publication Date: 1963-
• Blues and Soul Publication Date: 1984-1991 Volumes located at Oak St. and Main Stacks.
• Rolling Stone Publication Date: 1990- MPAL has volumes dated: 1969-1976.
• Spin Publication Date: 2011-2012 MPAL has volumes dated 1994-2011.
• Vibe Magazine Publication Date: 2007-2009 Oak Street has volumes dated: 2001-2009.
• The Village Voice Publication Date: 1997- Newspaper Library has volumes dated: 1955-2004.
• New York Times Publication Date: 1857- See also: www.nytimes.com/pages/arts/music/index.html
• Los Angeles Times Publication Date: 1881-2009 See also: www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/
• Newsweek Publication Date: 1990-2012 Main Stacks has volumes: 1933-1989.
• Ethno-Musicology Publication Date: 1953-2009 MPAL has volumes from 1953-.
• Popular Music Publication Date: 1981- MPAL has volumes dated: 1981-2011.
• Popular Music and Society Publication Date: 1996- MPAL has volumes dated: 1971-2011.
• African American Review Publication Date: 1992- Main States has volumes dated: 1992-2009.
• Black Enterprise Publication Date: 1987- Oak St. has volumes dated: 1970-2012.
• Ebony Publication Date: 1985- Main Stacks as volumes dated: 1953-1974.
• Journal of Black Studies Publication Date: 1970-2010 Main Stacks has volumes dated: 1970-2009.
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• Next: Selected Library Books & Videos >>
• Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024 1:51 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.illinois.edu/raphiphop

Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Music — Rap Music

Essays on Rap Music

Choosing rap music essay topics.

Rap music is a diverse and influential genre that has had a significant impact on popular culture, social issues, and the music industry. When it comes to writing an essay on rap music, there are countless topics to explore that can provide insight into the history, culture, and impact of this genre. In this guide, we will discuss the importance of choosing the right topic, provide advice on selecting a topic, and offer a comprehensive list of recommended essay topics divided into categories.

The Importance of the Topic

Choosing the right topic for your rap music essay is crucial for a few reasons. First and foremost, it will determine the scope and direction of your research and writing. A well-chosen topic will allow you to delve into an area of rap music that interests you and provides ample material for analysis and discussion. Additionally, a compelling topic will engage your readers and allow you to explore the complexities and nuances of rap music.

Advice on Choosing a Topic

When selecting a rap music essay topic, consider your own interests, as well as the potential impact and relevance of the topic. Think about the aspects of rap music that fascinate you, whether it's the history, cultural significance, social commentary, or musical styles. Additionally, consider the current conversations and debates surrounding rap music and choose a topic that offers new insights or challenges conventional wisdom. Finally, ensure that your chosen topic is specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis but broad enough to provide ample material for research.

Recommended Essay Topics

History and evolution of rap music.

• The Origins of Rap Music: From Bronx Block Parties to Global Phenomenon
• The Evolution of Rap Styles: From Old School to Mumble Rap
• Rap Music and the Civil Rights Movement: A Historical Perspective

Social and Cultural Impact of Rap Music

• Rap Music and Identity: How Artists Navigate Race, Class, and Gender
• Rap Music and Politics: The Role of Hip-Hop in Social Activism
• Rap Music and Globalization: The Spread of Hip-Hop Culture Around the World

Lyricism and Artistic Expression in Rap Music

• Rap Music and Poetry: Analyzing the Literary Techniques of Hip-Hop Lyrics
• Rap Music and Storytelling: The Power of Narrative in Hip-Hop Songs
• Rap Music and Social Commentary: Examining the Themes and Messages in Lyrics

Rap Music and the Music Industry

• Rap Music and Commercialization: The Impact of Corporate Influence on Hip-Hop
• Rap Music and Entrepreneurship: How Artists Build Brands and Business Empires
• Rap Music and Technology: The Role of Digital Platforms in Shaping the Industry

Controversies and Debates in Rap Music

• Rap Music and Censorship: The Role of Explicit Content and Freedom of Speech
• Rap Music and Misogyny: Exploring Gender Dynamics in Hip-Hop Culture
• Rap Music and Violence: Debunking Stereotypes and Examining Realities

These essay topics offer a broad range of options for exploring rap music from different angles. Whether you are interested in the history, social impact, artistic expression, industry dynamics, or controversies surrounding rap music, there are plenty of compelling topics to choose from. By selecting a topic that aligns with your interests and offers an opportunity for in-depth analysis, you can create a captivating and insightful essay on rap music.

The Influence of Rap Music on Society: Glorification of Drugs, Violence, and Misogyny

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Analysis of The Language Used in Early Commercial Rap Music of The 1980s and 1990s as a Cultural Response to The Socioeconomic Oppression Plaguing The Black Community

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History of Hip Hop Music

Gospel music in tupac shakur’s rap, the origin and history of hip hop music, the negative culture of contemporary music, the history of hip hop music, analysis of song "changes" by tupac, a review of hip-hop in seattle, tom hardy’s 1999 rap mixtape, robert bryson hall's biography, the impact of music on emotion: comparing rap and meditative yoga music, controversial attitudes to logic – famous american rapper, messages in the two songs ‘sad’ performed by xxxtentacion and ‘logic’ performed by alessia cara and khalid, entrepreneurial lessons from drake – a famous canadian rapper, kanye west: influence in rap culture and impact, kanye west: influence of many generations, kanye west: influence, innovator and humanitarian, snoop dogg's influence on religion, the importance of kanye west music, relevant topics.

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Hip Hop Culture

Hip hop culture research.

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Welcome to the Hip Hop Culture Research Site, your information gateway for research, teaching, and learning. Feel free to contact me for your research and classroom needs.

                                                                         Leta Hendricks

  In 1996, I wrote "Research interest has recently emerged in the popular African-American musical idiom known as Rap and continues to grow as social and cultural scholars embark on a serious study of Rap music and culture. Therefore, the student, scholar, and general library patron may seek information on Rap and its relationship to the African-American community." * This Hip Hop Culture LibGuide lists resources related to hip-hop culture and rap music, including background information, reference sources, research databases, discography compilations, streaming music, video recordings, and Web sites.

Please feel free to contact me for your Hip Hop Culture and Rap Music research needs.

* Leta Hendricks (1996) "Getting Hip to the Hop: A Rap Bibliography/Discography," Music Reference Services Quarterly, 4:4, 17-57, DOI:  10.1300/J116v04n04_02

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• Humanities LibreTexts - Rap
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rap , musical style in which rhythmic and/or rhyming speech is chanted (“rapped”) to musical accompaniment. This backing music , which can include digital sampling (music and sounds extracted from other recordings), is also called hip-hop , the name used to refer to a broader cultural movement that includes rap, deejaying (turntable manipulation), graffiti painting, and break dancing . Rap, which originated in African American communities in New York City , came to national prominence with the Sugar Hill Gang’s “ Rapper’s Delight ” (1979). Rap’s early stars included Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five , Run-D.M.C. , LL Cool J , Public Enemy (who espoused a radical political message), and the Beastie Boys . The late 1980s saw the advent of “gangsta rap,” with lyrics that were often misogynistic or that glamorized violence and drug dealing. Later stars include Diddy , Snoop Dogg , Jay-Z , OutKast , Eminem , Kanye West , Lil Wayne , Drake , and Nicki Minaj .

Articles on Rap music

Displaying 1 - 20 of 92 articles.

Rap lyrics can provide catharsis – both for artists and their fans

Paul Stephen Adey , Nottingham Trent University

The Spark: summer’s biggest banger comes from a decades-old initiative helping refugee and working-class kids in Cork

J. Griffith Rollefson , University College Cork

Prodigy’s personal mythology: Remembering the ‘fallen angel’ of Mobb Deep

Marcus Evans , McMaster University

Eminem’s new single, Houdini, is a self-referential reminder of his unstoppable anti-hero  appeal

Glenn Fosbraey , University of Winchester

Why do American rappers see Drake as not Black enough?

Alexandra Boutros , Wilfrid Laurier University

Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud: What does the law say about defamatory lyrics?

Lisa Macklem , Western University

Rap ‘beef’ as public spectacle is a dangerous game that artists rarely win

A.D. Carson , University of Virginia

Illmatic at 30: how Nas invented epistolary rap – and changed the hyper-masculine world of hip hop forever

Four rising Welsh music acts to set your playlist ablaze

Paul Carr , University of South Wales and Robert Smith , University of South Wales

A brief history of the diss track – from the Roxanne Wars to Megan Thee Stallion

Adam de Paor-Evans , University of Plymouth

Russian rap has long held up a mirror to Russian society – and the current reflection isn’t flattering

John Vandevert , Uppsala University

‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ turns 30: How the album pays homage to hip-hop ’s mythical and martial arts origins

Sho Madjozi: the pop star using traditional culture to shape a fresh identity for young South Africans

Owen Seda , Tshwane University of Technology and Motshidisi Manyeneng , Tshwane University of Technology

50 years of hip-hop : Its social and political power resonates far beyond its New York birthplace

Anna Lippman , York University, Canada

Hip-hop on trial: When can a rapper’s lyrics be used as evidence in a criminal case?

Taifha Natalee Alexander , University of California, Los Angeles

Microphone check − 5 ways that music education is changing

Clint Randles , University of South Florida

Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner turns 20 – here’s how it ushered in the era of grime

Julia Toppin , University of Westminster

How some Muslim and non-Muslim rappers alike embrace Islam’s greeting of peace

Margarita Guillory , Boston University and Jeta Luboteni , Boston University

Hip-hop at 50: how the sights, sounds and moves of the music spread across the world

Hip-hop at 50: 7 essential listens to celebrate rap’s widespread influence

Nick Lehr , The Conversation ; Jamaal Abdul-Alim , The Conversation ; Matt Williams , The Conversation ; Molly Jackson , The Conversation , and Howard Manly , The Conversation

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The Top 10 Most Interesting Music Research Topics

Music is a vast and ever-growing field. Because of this, it can be challenging to find excellent music research topics for your essay or thesis. Although there are many examples of music research topics online, not all are appropriate.

This article covers all you need to know about choosing suitable music research paper topics. It also provides a clear distinction between music research questions and topics to help you get started.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong music research topic.

A strong music research topic must be short, straightforward, and easy to grasp. The primary aim of music research is to apply various research methods to provide valuable insights into a particular subject area. Therefore, your topic must also address issues that are relevant to present-day readers.

Also, for your research topic to be compelling, it should not be overly generic. Try to avoid topics that seem to be too broad. A strong research topic is always narrow enough to draw out a comprehensive and relevant research question.

Tips for Choosing a Music Research Topic

• Check with your supervisor. In some cases, your school or supervisor may have specific requirements for your research. For example, some music programs may favor a comparative instead of a descriptive or correlational study. Knowing what your institution demands is essential in choosing an appropriate research topic.
• Explore scientific papers. Journal articles are a great way to find the critical areas of interest in your field of study. You can choose from a wide range of journals such as The Journal of Musicology and The Journal of the Royal Musical Association . These resources can help determine the direction of your research.
• Determine your areas of interest. Choosing a topic you have a personal interest in will help you stay motivated. Researching music-related subjects is a painstakingly thorough process. A lack of motivation would make it difficult to follow through with your research and achieve optimal results.
• Confirm availability of data sources. Not all music topics are researchable. Before selecting a topic, you must be sure that there are enough primary and secondary data sources for your research. You also need to be sure that you can carry out your research with tested and proven research methods.
• Ask your colleagues: Asking questions is one of the many research skills you need to cultivate. A short discussion or brainstorming session with your colleagues or other music professionals could help you identify a suitable topic for your research paper.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a particular subject area in a much wider field that a researcher chooses to place his emphasis on. Most subjects are extensive. So, before conducting research, a researcher must first determine a suitable area of interest that will act as the foundation for their investigation.

Research questions are drawn from research topics. However, research questions are usually more streamlined. While research topics can take a more generic viewpoint, research questions further narrow the focus down to specific case studies or seek to draw a correlation between two or more datasets.

How to Create Strong Music Research Questions

Strong music research questions must be relevant and specific. Music is a broad field with many genres and possible research areas. However, your research question must focus on a single subject matter and provide valuable insights. Also, your research question should be based on parameters that can be quantified and studied using available research methods.

Top 10 Music Research Paper Topics

1. understanding changes in music consumption patterns.

Although several known factors affect how people consume music, there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding how these factors influence listening choices. Your music research paper could outline some of these factors that affect music consumer behavior and highlight their mechanism of action.

2. Hip-hop Culture and Its Effect on Teenage Behavior

In 2020, hip-hop and RnB had the highest streaming numbers , according to Statista. Without a doubt, hip-hop music has had a significant influence on the behavior of young adults. There is still the need to conduct extensive research on this subject to determine if there is a correlation between hip-hop music and specific behavioral patterns, especially among teenagers.

3. The Application of Music as a Therapeutic Tool

For a long time, music has been used to manage stress and mental health disorders like anxiety, PTSD, and others. However, the role of music in clinical treatment still remains a controversial topic. Further research is required to separate fact from fiction and provide insight into the potential of music therapy.

4. Contemporary Rock Music and Its Association With Harmful Social Practices

Rock music has had a great influence on American culture since the 1950s. Since its rise to prominence, it has famously been associated with vices such as illicit sex and abuse of recreational drugs. An excellent research idea could be to evaluate if there is a robust causal relationship between contemporary rock music and adverse social behaviors.

5. The Impact of Streaming Apps on Global Music Consumption

Technology has dramatically affected the music industry by modifying individual music consumption habits. Presently, over 487 million people subscribe to a digital streaming service, according to Statista. Your research paper could examine how much of an influence popular music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have had on how we listen to music.

6. Effective American Music Education Practices

Teaching practices have always had a considerable impact on students’ academic success. However, not all strategies have an equal effect in enhancing learning experiences for students. You can conduct comparative research on two or more American music education practices and evaluate their impact on learning outcomes.

7. The Evolution of Music Production in the Technology-driven Era

One of the aspects of music that is experiencing a massive change is sound production. More than ever before, skilled, tech-savvy music producers are in high demand. At the moment, music producers earn about $70,326 annually, according to ZipRecruiter. So, your research could focus on the changes in music production techniques since the turn of the 21st century.

8. Jazz Music and Its Influence on Western Music Genres

The rich history of jazz music has established it as one of the most influential genres of music since the 19th century. Over the years, several famous composers and leading voices across many other western music genres have been shaped by jazz music’s sound and culture. You could carry out research on the influence of this genre of music on modern types of music.

9. The Effect of Wars on Music

Wars have always brought about radical changes in several aspects of culture, including music styles. Throughout history, we have witnessed wars result in the death of famous musicians. If you are interested in learning about music history in relation to global events, a study on the impact of wars on music will make an excellent music research paper.

10. African Tribal Percussion

African music is well recognized for its unique application of percussion. Historically, several tribes and cultures had their own percussion instruments and original methods of expression. Unfortunately, this musical style has mainly gone undocumented. An in-depth study into ancient African tribal percussion would make a strong music research paper.

Other Examples of Music Research Topics & Questions

Music research topics.

• Popular musical styles of the 20th century
• The role of musical pieces in political movements
• Biographies of influential musicians during the baroque period
• The influence of classical music on modern-day culture
• The relationship between music and fashion

Music Research Questions

• What is the relationship between country music and conservationist ideologies among middle-aged American voters?
• What is the effect of listening to Chinese folk music on the critical thinking skills of high school students?
• How have electronic music production technologies influenced the sound quality of contemporary music?
• What is the correlation between punk music and substance abuse among Black-American males?
• How does background music affect learning and information retention in children?

Choosing the Right Music Research Topic

Your research topic is the foundation on which every other aspect of your study is built. So, you must select a music research topic that gives you room to adequately explore intriguing hypotheses and, if possible, proffer practically applicable solutions.

Also, if you seek to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Music , you must be prepared to conduct research during your study. Choosing the right music research topic is the first step in guaranteeing good grades and delivering relevant, high-quality contributions in this constantly expanding field.

Music Research Topics FAQ

A good music research topic should be between 10 to 12 words long. Long, wordy music essay topics are usually confusing. They can make it difficult for readers to understand the goal of your research. Avoid using lengthy phrases or vague terms that could confuse the reader.

Journal articles are the best place to find helpful resources for your music research. You can explore reputable, high-impact journal articles to see if any research has been done related to your chosen topic. Journal articles also help to provide data for comparison while carrying out your research.

Primary sources carry out their own research and cite their own data. In contrast, secondary sources report data obtained from a primary source. Although primary sources are regarded as more credible, you can include a good mixture of primary and secondary sources in your research.

The most common research methods for music research are qualitative, quantitative, descriptive, and analytical. Your research strategy is arguably the most crucial part of your study. You must learn different research methods to determine which one would be the perfect fit for your particular research question.

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206 Best Music Research Topics That Rock The Stage

Music is one of the greatest sensations in human life. If you are writing a music research paper, you have to make sure that the topic is eye-catching. Most importantly, it should move and make you dance yourself. The topic that you are not interested in will not only make you weary, but the results would be unsatisfying too.

That is why our writers have found music research paper topics for you to save the day. We love music very much, and so  our team  offers an Academic paper writing service , so you can trust the word.

Table of Contents

Music Research Topics: History, Technical Music, Contemporary And More

Although our writers mainly offer research paper writing services , they did not hesitate for a bit when we asked them to come up with some music research topics for you. You can use any of these 206 topics for free and modify them to fit your needs and match your taste. Read on!

Music History Research Topics

• Use of songwriting in relation to the political and social situations in Nazi Germany and the French Revolution
• Musical Education between two centuries
• Evolution in the definition of music over the centuries
• Birth of Music in Mesopotamia
• Impact of Arab-Andalusian music on renaissance
• Folklore bands of wind music, a cultural manifestation of the people and for the people
• Harmonic implications studied by Pythagoras
• Music from Ancient Greek
• Importance of Music in Greek Mythology
• Song of the Sirens in the evolution of music
• Greece, music, poetry, and dance
• Athens was a center of musical poets in the BC era
• Classical Greek Style Music
• Yanni: A Musician that fuses Modern and Classical Greek Music into one
• Role of Music in Greek Tragedy
• Famous musical-dramatic pieces
• Heroic poets: Arab poets that formed the basis of European music
• Performances in amphitheaters by singers-actors-dancers
• Classical musician considered himself more of a performer than an author
• Ritual dance with kettledrums around the fire: Musical Traditions of Pagan cultures
• Classification of primitive musical instruments
• Music in China
• Music in Mayan Tradition
• Apache and Native American Music
• How Africans and Columbians formed the modern American music
• The musical theory and the instruments used in Japan
• Bagaki for Japanese Emperor ceremonies
• Evolution of Indian Music
• Music in the Mughal Empire
• Anarkali: A musical myth with a royal background
• Christian Music, Hymns and Choirs

Read More:  Psychology Research Paper Topics

Technical Music research topics

• Similarity measures, including rhythmic and melodic similarity.
• Phylogenetic analysis of music.
• National Center for Music Diffusion
• Mathematical measures of rhythmic complexity and syncopation
• Musical transformations of rhythm and melody
• Automatic analysis of traditional music, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and African music
• The mathematical theory of rhythm
• Musical constructivism
• Model models (MM) and counter models (CM)
• The role of sound design in video games and its application to contemporary independent works
• Mathematical and computational modeling of musical phenomena (grouping, phrasing, tension, etc.)
• A mathematical theory of tuning and temperament systems
• Teaching mathematics through art
• Music visualization
• History of Modern Columbian Music
• Acoustic-instrumental composition, electroacoustic and sound art
• Interpretation and musical investigation
• sound production
• Transcription and music editing
• Recovery of musical heritage
• Studies of music, literature, culture, and colonial anthropology
• Music by European composers of the 16th century (Renaissance)
• Education and technology in educational scenarios of musical training

Read More:  Finance Research Topics

Music Argument Topics

• Visual Media Music Studio
• Music as an important expression in the history of the world
• Conversations about music, culture, and identity
• The architectural space as a link between music and the citizen
• Music Schools for children and young people with limited resources
• Role of practice and need for devotion in learning and acquiring musical skills

Read More:  Accounting Research Topics

Contemporary Music research topics

• Impact of Coke Studio: From Pakistan to take over the world
• Effects of Modern Music on Youth
• Musical Martyrs: Freddie Mercury, Amy Winehouse, Elvis Presley
• Music of Hans Zimmer
• Production and exhibition of contemporary music
• Entertainment and music centres
• Non-formal music schools
• Music and education today
• Contemporary Mexican music
• Satanism movement in modern music
• Western musical history and “modern” music
• Journey of Music: From the Medieval Family to the Modern Family
• Importance of Opera in the modern age
• Evolution of music over time: From orchestra to electric
• Self-management and promotion of independent music
• Music of electric musicians: Alan Walker, Serhat Durmus, Chain Smokers
• Modern Music, A Wonderful Expression
• The idiomatic reality of the English language
• Modern Music in the United States
• Current music pedagogy
• Music education in the twentieth century

Read More:  Research Paper Topics

Classic Music Research Topics

• Classic music of South Asia
• Classic music of Africa
• Classic Arab music, the influence of Soad, Um Kalthum
• What makes classic music so important and why do we still have to reserve it?
• Music of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms
• Use of classic music in the film
• Beethoven: How he lived, composed and died
• Life and music of Mozart
• Classical music by Afro-American women
• Music in classical films
• Greatest compositions of 19-20th centuries
• Style and compositions of Einaudi
• Music during the classical period
• Classical Music Criticism

Read More:  Business Research Topics

African music research topics

• The Effects of Slave Music on American History and African-American Music
• The use of Afro-Caribbean rhythms for the construction of jazz musical moments
• African folk music of Cuba
• History of African-American Popular Music
• African diversity in music
• The study of the oral and musical traditions of the Afro-Mexicans
• Studies of African Musical History and its Relationship with modern society
• South African influences on American music
• African music in Mali
• African music: South Africa
• Music of the Middle East and North Africa

Read More:  Nursing Research Topics

Pop Culture Music Research Topics

• The pedagogical models of popular music
• Music throughout the decades of musicals
• Brad Paisley and Country Music
• The Effects of Music on the popular culture
• Hip-hop/rap music: One of the most popular musical genres
• The influence of rap music on teenagers
• Irish Music: Music and Touch Other Irish Dance Music

Read More:  Qualitative Research Topics

Music Theory Topics

• Genre and music preferences
• The effect of instrumental music on word recall memory
• Sample Music and Wellness
• The music industry
• The Theme of Death in a Musical 
• The Effects of Globalization on MusicMusic psychology research topics
• The potential of music therapy to develop soft skills at the organizational level
• Listening to music as a way to relieve stress for teens
• The impact of theatricality within contemporary popular music concerts of the psychedelic, glam, and progressive rock genre 
• Trying music as therapy
• How music can help students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder)
• How can music help reduce work stress and maintain a healthy work environment
• Musical manifestations of man consist of the externalization

Read More:  US History Research Topics

Music Education Research Topics

• New pragmatism in music education
• Importance and effects of musical education
• Philosophy of Music Education
• Music, a tool to educate
• Competencies in music education
• Music as a strategy to encourage children’s effective learning 
• Interconnection between music and education
• Philosophy of musical education

Read More: High School Research Paper Topics

Persuasive Speech Topics About Music

• The music is a true reflection of the essay of American society
• Music and Its Effects on Society 
• Matter Of Metal Music
• Beethoven’s Twelfth Symphony: the second movement of the symphonic essay
• Messages in music
• The benefits of music trial
• Does music affect blood pressure?
• Music Industry Research: An Epic Battle With Youtube
• Entertainment and education Via music
• Whitman’s music as a means of expression
• Music and its Effect on the World
• Music: Essay on Music and Learning Disabilities

Read More:  Political Science Research Topics

Music Controversial Topics

• Whether or not profanations in music corrupts our youth
• Drugs and rock and roll
• Piracy and the music industry
• Music censorship is a violation of freedom of expression
• Music censorship
• The use and overuse of the music

Read More:  Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics

Music Industry Topics

• Freedom of expression and rap music
• Censorship in the music industry
• Influence of music on culture
• Analysis of Iranian film music
• Analysis of the Turkish Music Industry
• Analysis of the South Asian Music Industry
• Coke Studio Making and Global Impact
• The digital revolution: how technology changed the workflow of music composers for media
• Video music as matter in motion
• Acoustic and interpretive characteristics of the instruments
• The study of musical composition based on pictorial works
• Musical prosody of the interpretation

Read More:  Social Work Research Topics

Arab Music Research Paper Topic

• Arab music industry: Evolution after colonialism
• Music of Middle
• Umm Kulthum: Effects on global music
• How the Arab music still impacts Asian and American Music
• Effects of Arab music on popular French music
• Turkish and Arab Music: A Beautiful Cultural Fusion
• Arab Heroic Poets of Andalus and how they formed modern European music
• Revival of Arab music through electrical genre

Read More:  Medical Research Topics

Music Thesis Topics

• Film Industry Classical Music
• Finding Meaning in a Musical 
• Music and its effect on my interpretation
• How music can interact with politics
• Musical phrases and the modal centers of interest of the melody 
• Effect of ambient music on sleep trials
• The main characteristics of the musical organization
• Study Of Cadences And Other Harmonic Processes In The Light Of Consonance And Dissonance Theories
• Theoretical-experimental Study Of Percussion, Wind And String Instruments
• Recognition Of The Instruments Of The Orchestra
• Compositive Algorithms Using Unconventional Musical Magnitudes
• Development Of A Microtonal Harmony As A Generalization Of The Common Practice Period
• Mechanism related to the recognition of specific emotions in music
• Musical emotion (emotion induction)

Read More:  Biology Research Paper Topics

High School Research Paper Topics on Music

• Correlation Between Personality and Musical Preferences Essay
• Effects of Rock Music on Teenagers
• Does popular music stay popular?
• The effect of music on the interpretation of a musical
• Musical activities in a spiral of development
• Adolescents in the understanding of contemporary processes of music
• Musical activities in the content system
• Music and the value of responsibility
• Presentation of musical fragments, Performance of live or recorded musical instruments
• Life stories of composers and musical personalities such as Mozart and Beethoven
• Presentation of music related to tastes and socio-educational reality
• Exhibition of musical fragments and execution of instruments
• Presentation of different types of music, the performance of musical instruments live or recorded
• Experience composing music, with lyrics, instrumental or with sounds from the environment, what musical genre or type of sound production does it represent?
• The practice of the studied musical instruments, record the meanings that guide your performance and preparation as a student and for life
• Why is compliance with the vocal techniques of singing a duty that must be assumed consciously?
• Does all music express sound? Does every sound express a genre or type of music?
• Practice sound emission and tuning techniques
• Why is it important to make movements according to the type of music you listen to?

Music is one of the greatest inventions of the human race. All good music makes your heart beat a little faster and soothes your mind into peace. It has been evolving since the dawn of civilization, 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Whatever research you make about it, just make sure that it touches your heart. 

If you want to save your time and get your music research paper written by us, you are in for good news. We offer the best research paper writing services in the USA. You can  contact us  to discuss your research paper. You can also  place your order  and we can start working on your research paper right away. 

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How Rap Affects Young Culture and Adults

Danylo Radke

Music’s Philosophy

The argument of Rap and how it relates to young people is one of the most impactful and controversial topics in todays society. Many people think that rap projects violence and sexual stereotypes, while others believe it has no effect on young minds and can even have positive effects. on them. These arguments are polar opposites of each other and it is really interesting to see how they compare.

Many people that oppose rap music argue that rap can cause teens to become more violent and not as intelligent. However, according to a study by Florida International University, they found that there was some evidence that students initially showed increase in comprehension when students listened to eight half hour sessions of rap. However the results were very consistent as they only tested 105 students. As to the violence aspect of rap, there has been a study by Western Connecticut State University that showed a connection between violence and rap. They did not take in consideration that rap is affiliated with poor economic communities so it is unclear how it affects these statistics. There are also many faults when it comes to positive thinking of rap.

Some reasons for people thinking that rap is beneficial to teenagers is that some rap songs have a good message and so young people can have role models that are rappers. There are more cases of bad music and bad rappers than there are good so that argument is not as valid as it seems at eye glance. Rap can have positive affects as stated in the previous paragraph but there can be many factors that can disrupt and hinder the data. The question is should you listen to rap music?

Rap music has many different genres that can flood you with different emotions. Slow rap can make you relaxed and other rap can “hype” you up before a game. Mental preparation is key when doing competitive or exciting and rap can benefit at setting the right mindset. Music can also bring or make new memories when listening to it. Many people listen to music back from the 90s or 80s due to nostalgia. People can use that same theory and apply it to rap. Young people may always look back at rap and be happy that they listened to it because how many kids think that they want to do what the rap song says.

When it comes to rap, it is very interesting to see how bipolar it can be while being in the gray at the same time. Rappers like Lil Pump and 6ix9ine are stereotyped as being uneducated and rappers like J Cole are known as lyrical geniuses. While the rappers have very different perspectives, they rap about the struggles and being from the hood. If you listen to rap music and just take it in, you may notice it at some point. Things like this affect people like me and alike, as sometimes you can learn from them as well as being emotional.

Other types of genres have different stereotypes brought on to them. “Country boys” and “basic white people” are some examples. People associate bias because it is the easiest and the first thing people do. It takes 20 impressions to change the first one and many people do not see 20 country or pop people. Generalizing something has always made it easier to clean thing up and have them be a in order. We do not help with this because there is not a lot of individuality in our society. We fear it and only do something that other people are doing. In high school and other schools, you can see this very easily. You can see it at work and business places as well. How can we not stereotype when we get everything handed to us and we do not research? This is the reason that rap has been over generalized and corrupted. This article is just talking about rap because it is not the only thing people stereotype, but it is a very big one.

So what has tainted a genre that was once great and looked up on? Well, rap has started to not filter their songs. If you compare rap from the 90’s and today, they would sound completely different. I for one, have heard my dad scold at me for listening to “crap” and “my music was always better”. Many generations look at things many different ways and we should embrace the differences and not compare them. At some point, people need to realize that not everything is affecting this generation negatively like shooting games or rap, and they need to realize that young people are mostly in control of their minds. There are many different sources and news channels that take bias toward a topic, like politics. This of course, misconstrues our opinion and it leans toward another side. It is ironic how adults think that young people are not smart and easily influenced, when every news channel does the same thing to them. In a utopia, there would not be bias and people would be allowed to generate their own opinions on certain subjects. We would not intervene unless providing facts that are credible and have no faults in them. This could lead to more people agreeing with unlikely opinions, something that our world tends not to do.

In conclusion, there are many opinions on how rap affects the young culture and how it hinders their minds. This however, can be very misleading. Different sources may say very different things and show very different statistics on the same topic. We credit them as being very valuable and unbiased, however this does not exist in our society mostly. People need to look at both sides of the story before writing or talking about something. We need to keep the least amount of bias when writing something that can influence other people. As a teenager, I cannot be biased when talking about a topic that criticizes teenagers. right?

Written by Danylo Radke

Text to speech