2. Hip-Hop music is famous for its clever use lyrics
and recognisable beats fronted by some of the
world’s favourite artists; it has developed as part
of a hip-hop culture which originated in the fusion
African-American and Latino-American
communities during the 1970s, in New York.
During the 1970s it was mixture of spoken words
and jazz however by the end of the 1970s it
branched off towards ‘rap’ (a chanted-rhyming of
lyrics, performed in time to a beat). By the 1980s
there was a huge growth in labels and rap was
made public to the world.

3. However it has also brought attention to
violence amongst numerous artists’ rivalries over
the years and so today when people think Hip-
Hop their perspectives of the music genre are
over shadowed by the negative aspects.
One of the most famous rivalries, East Coast vs.
West Coast saw two of Hi-hops most influential
rappers lose their lives-today they still remain
unsolved, Notorious B.I.G and TuPac.

4. Many Hip-Hop fans and artists have spoken out and said that
the association of violence with the genre is based a few
artists and that it isn’t Hip-Hop’s real intention to promote
this. Artists such as Common, Will Smith, Run DMC and A Tribe
Called Quest are acknowledged for producing songs and
albums that steer away from the stereotypical subjects in Hip-
Hop. Instead they produce/(d) music that covers social-
politics, poetry and every day life.
The general view of artists and listeners I found by my own
independent research suggested that Hip-Hops influence on
people was down to the individual and lack of understanding
that lyrics are simply, lyrics.

5. According to recent youth
violence statistics done by the
Josphson Institute:
Large cities claim that 72% of
their school violence is
attributable to gang activity.
Between 1986 and 1992, the total
number of children killed by
firearms rose by 144 percent.
From 1985 to 1993, murders
committed by people over age 25
dropped 20 percent; but they
increased 65 percent among 18-
to 24-year-olds and increased 165
percent among 14- to 17-year-
olds.

6. Generally concerns raised regarding Hip-Hop have
been the rise in songs covering substance
abuse, crime (Theft, gun crime, stabbing ect) and
exploitation of women (references including:
‘hoes’, ‘bitches’). Many believe these have and will
continue to influence young listeners and don’t
believe artists today are fully aware of the
consequences allowing these contexts to be present
in their music.
A cross over of Hip-Hop and R&B has become
extremely popular in recent years, some of these
artists to have caused controversy with sexual
references and violence. Rihanna, particularly when
she released the single ‘Man Down’ from her fifth-
album ‘Loud’, the video began with a man being shot
in the head. Her single ‘We Found Love’ from her
sixth-album ‘Talk That Talk’ also generated
controversy for its depiction of violence and drug use
by a young couple whose relationship is turbulent;
this video was banned in France.