“Be nice or leave!”
Why is rap so violent?

by

Emal Ghamsharick

Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 A Note on Secondary Sources

2. Good Intentions Don′t Make Good Sales

2.1 Early Attempts

3. Depictions of Crime and their Relevance for Success

4. Conclusion

1. Introduction

This paper will focus on the depictions of and the reasons given for crime and violence in rap music. This seems to be relevant because a certain glorification of rap seems to endure in mainstream society, which also goes hand in hand with this music′s belittlement. In the 1980s, few people would have thought that rap would be the major force it is today. The music is still, for the most part, rather simply crafted, not all lyrics are expressions of streetwise genius but maybe that is its strength: reducing everything to the minimum, cleansing the music from all unnecessary components. This minimalism is also visible in its content. The depicted experiences are mostly on a very basic existential level, crime and violence abound. Real life conflicts are not only reflected in the music, they are sometimes even initiated by words spoken on a record. At a recent award ceremony Melle Mel, one of rap′s early legends, even criticized contemporary hip hop a "culture of violence"¹.
Of all the different elements of rap narratives, violence and crime seem to be the most enduring ones. The most successful rap artists were often also the ones that delivered the most realistic narratives of both elements. Therefore I will focus strictly on mainstream rap, since this is obviously the genre of rap with the largest audience and the most successful combination of all the narrative elements. I will also focus mainly on the lyrics, although I do not want to question the enormous importance of the music production for the success of a record. In fact, chart success is often dependent on the producers, while rappers have a hard time trying to create a lasting impression. For as long as rap music has become a product, the lyrics and the imagery has evolved mainly about the depiction and imitation of criminal lifestyles. Violence, misogyny and flamboyant display of property are all related to and based on criminality. I will first examine earlier attempts at more peaceful and dedicated attitudes in rap and trace back the rise of modern "ultra-violent" rap stars and also throw a light on some early careers. I will then analyze the portrayals of crime and violence in rap, their significance and also the explanations offered. Like many rappers of the first generation, Melle Mel makes no difference between rap and hip hop culture.

1.1 A Note on Secondary Sources

Rap music is a topic that is hard to describe in academic literature, since it is a field of study that is already very rich in primary content, expressed in a very direct language that leaves little room for interpretations. Furthermore, when reading publications on rap, I am often irritated because the authors often show very little insight and seem to have entirely different personal musical tastes. One publication I have consulted² is fairly recent, which is not always granted, but even while just skimming the book, I was forced to find out that the author could not distinguish between the voices of Method Man and The Notorious B.I.G.³. This comes close to not knowing the difference between Laurel and Hardy and then writing a book about black and white comedy movies. Neither had she heard, that Tim Dog is actually not a West Coast artist⁴ (as one could guess by the title of his one and only success, "F*** Compton"). This is a symptom for a general problem: When it comes to certain topics, an academic title does not necessarily prove great knowledge of the subject matter. On the rare occasions that I read scholastic material on rap music, I usually have the notion that the authors see the music simply as an object of study. They create beautiful and intricate theories about various aspects of it, and yet the consumer will probably receive all the information he needs by listening to it. This is also why I will strongly rely my own listening experiences as sources of information.

2. Good Intentions Don′t Make Good Sales

Presuming that violence is a part of human nature and hence triggers an instinctive fascination in many humans that is beyond categories like good and evil, it can be stated that a large part of rap′s attraction is based on violence. Rap artists have combined other elements of rap or placed different emphases while trying to leave out the glorification of violence. A prominent example is the Native Tongue movement from the early Nineties. Explicitly non-violent groups like De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest tried to evoke social consciousness and a sense of community. While being hyped by the liberal media, they enjoyed only brief successes and are now rather a shameful memory (if remembered at all) outside of dedicated circles. As Perry states, "conscious" rap′s resonance is usually stronger among "underground" artists⁵. Just as violent rap lyrics do not necessarily make society more violent, peaceful lyrics did not make society less violent. The political and social powers of music should not be overestimated.

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1 Jon Pareles: "Hip-Hop Is Rock ’n’ Roll, and Hall of Fame Likes It". In: New York Times, March 13, 2007.

2 Imani Perry: "Prophets of the Hood". Durham & London 2004.

3 Perry, p. 144

4 Perry, p. 21

5 Perry, p. 28