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 teenagers. suburban teenagers with an attitude that reflects the heart of the ghetto. This can usually be revealed through a change in language or jargon, as well as a change in appearance or dress. 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 the way they do.
Rap simply paints a picture for a child of what’s going on in the streets. It has a much greater influence on suburban teens because kids who live in strict areas of poverty already have an idea of what that life is really like. Many times these are kids who want to be considered “cool.” If you remember when you were a teenager, being cool was probably a priority for you. If you want to reverse the negative effects on your teen, you can try getting down to their level.
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 teen is embarrassed to play it in front of their parents, that can also be a good thing, since 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 the music. The number one complaint I’ve heard from teenagers is that their parents don’t listen to them. They feel that their parents speak to them but not to them. That’s why it’s so easy for them to relate to a musical genre that has been dictated by people who were raised by a single parent. When parents connect with their teens, they feel whole and will usually begin to open up more to their parents.
Don’t get me wrong, the effects of rapping on teenagers 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 them. There are plenty of other rappers who also feed young people the kind of lyrics that can influence positive thinking. These artists are usually not in the mainstream, but you can find their music online.
Your job as a parent will always be to love your teen, regardless of their taste in music, but the more you connect with their world, the more you’ll find a serious connection that will balance out any negative effects of music and give you common ground for all. love and respect each other. I would also add that if you know your son likes rap, try to find positive raps that he might like and ask him if he likes it too. You may find another level of connection with your teen.