Masculinity in Hip Hop.

You may agree with me that masculinity, as men see it nowadays has become an issue. I think this because I believe that the music the artists create, and the same music we listen to affects us in many ways, but we don't manage to see it. Now as I see it, we do have many "gangsters" as they're called in our generation. Before viewing the documentary I'd never thought that hip hop music could have so many negatives to it. In the song Tip Drill, even though it was my first time watching that video, it's not like I've never seen it before, but now since discussing matters in class about all the things that make up hip hop, I never would have guessed what the point to the song was, now that I know I'm not even sure if that song should've been published. Since I was little, I did like a little I liked hip hop as much as the next person, I just guess I wasn't paying attention to what the lyrics actually ment. Sadly to say, hip hop has shaped masculinity. I strongly feel if it's the music we like it's what we'll believe in to be a part of us. In a way, we'll be part of the music as well. Sure hip hop could be about money, guns, strength, and girls as in all its songs, but take some time to think about it. How many of us actually have that? What I don't get is why people listen to the same thing over and over again, never understand the point to it, yet act like artists in the hip hop industry do. The artist 50 Cent says he got shot in that one song, does that make us want to go out and get shot to prove we're men? Probably not. There are many ways we could prove we're masculine, but we just tend to stick with what hip hop provides for us. Yet again, I don't know why. Some artists such as Ja Rule, Tupac, Chuckie D, put fourth soul into their music to separate their music from all what's the same in hip hop. I just hope some of the other artists change their music style a little, and I'm sure everything will be fine. Hey, there could be a whole new view to masculinity for all I know. Lastly, I respect Diddy, and the other artists that contributed to a clean turn on hip hop. Keep it up.

Beyond Beats & Rhymes.

Hip Hop's Picture -
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/images/pics/Beats1.jpg
Hip Hop's Video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjxjZe3RhIo