Rap music has had many different effects on teenagers since its inception in the late 1970s. When most people think of rap music today, they immediately think of the gangster or thug mentality that has infested them. Suburban teens with an attitude that reflects the heart of the ghetto. This can usually be revealed through a change in language or slang, as well as a change in appearance or clothing. As a youth motivator, many suburban parents have asked me to help them recover their child from this behavior. I try to get them to focus on why their children act like them.
Rap simply paints a picture to a child of what is happening on the streets. It has a much greater influence on suburban adolescents because children living in areas of extreme poverty already have an idea of what life is really like. Often times it all comes down to kids wanting to be considered “cool.” If you remember when you were a teenager, being cool was probably one of your top priorities. If you want to reverse the negative effects on your teenager, you can try to catch up with them.
Listen to their music with them. Don’t judge, be open-minded, and ask them exactly what they like about music.
Of course, if the music is completely vulgar and the adolescent is embarrassed to play it in the presence of their parents, that can also be a good thing, as they are expressing their knowledge of right from wrong and right from wrong. Many times you will find that they relate to a particular emotion that is expressed in music. The number one complaint I’ve heard from teens is that their parents don’t listen to them. They feel that their parents speak to them but not to them. This is why it is so easy for them to relate to a genre of music that has been dictated by people who were raised by only one parent. When parents connect with their teens, it makes them feel whole and they will usually begin to open up more to their parents.
Don’t get me wrong, the effects of rap on teens don’t have to be negative. Personally, I have been writing positive rap lyrics for years and have seen a lot of positive results from young people listening to it. There are many other rappers who also feed young people the type of lyrics that can influence positive thinking. These artists are generally not in the mainstream, but you can find their music online.
Your job as a parent will always be to love your teenager for his taste in music, but the more he connects with his world, the more he will find a serious connection that will balance the negative effects of music and give him all the common ground to love. and respect each other. I would also add that if you know that your child likes rap, try to find positive raps that he likes and ask him if he likes it too. You may find another level of connection with your teenager.