Rapper DMC, right, of the group Run DMC outside of a recording studio in the Queens borough of New York where rap star Jam Master Jay of the group Run DMC was shot and killed in 2002. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)
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Change the World
By Emily Benowitz
Popular trends dictate that rappers use violence and sex to sell their music—yet newer artists have begun to experiment with positive lyrics with some success. Recent cases show that rappers have changed some of their tune as in this lyric by T-Pain: “For you I'll change the world. No more wars, No more poverty, No more hurt, No more pain… For you I change the world.” I applaud the effort of rappers such as T-Pain in the music world that choose to go against the fashion of lyrics glorifying violence, sex, and substance abuse.
In a 2005 study From Dre to “Dismissed,” author Stacy Smith shows the effects television stations such as MTV have on the youth culture that watch the station on a consistent basis. “MTV is still a force in popular culture,” says Smith and for a station that sets the trends for everything that is deemed “cool,” it has proven to be one of the most violent in terms of media images. However, if rappers decided to push more peaceful themes, maybe these violent trends would no longer hold such appeal.
Similar to T-Pain, the rap artist Nelly writes very powerful and popular lyrics supporting a peaceful theme: “cuz over history, mystery brought us nothin’ but misery man more people done died in the name of the Lord then in any natural disaster, disease or gang wars… man we need to help a brother find himself.” Imagine if rappers stuck with this kind of “peaceful rap.” Rap that disapproved of conflict and drugs, rap that stood up for being true to yourself, and rap that made it “cool” to be smart and educated. Would it change the world?