The Adverse Effect of Hip-Hop Culture on Youth

As a girl born and raised in a neighborhood I commonly refer to as "the ghetto," I am used to seeing drug dealers, men with their pants hanging so low you can see their undergarments, and many other distasteful things. I live in Pine Hills. As a child, I attended Ridgewood Park Elementary, and later as an upcoming teacher doing service learning in my old school, I heard many stories of unruly/dangerous children.

I attribute these problems greatly to the "hip-hop culture" that is glorified in the entertainment industry. "People" (using the term loosely like I did in my previous post) like "50 cent," "Snoop Dog," Mike Tyson, "Eminem," and countless others are terrible examples for young people. And yet, parents (for whatever reason) do not shelter their children from the garbage these "entertainers" spew, so the children emulate them and their lifestyles.

I'm sorry, but someone living the gang-life, doing and selling drugs, committing crimes of all sorts, and making fatherless babies does not make for a good role model. I don't know why people find it appealing instead of appalling. A few times when I'm flipping through radio stations on the way to school in the mornings, I have stopped to listen momentarily to stations like Power 95.3 or 102 Jams, just to see what they are saying in their morning 'dialogues.' (It's not a good way to start the day because it makes me mad, but hey.) What I notice is that not only does their English totally stink, but 98% of the time they are laughing about the fact that yet another rapper has been jailed for doing some illegal activity. How is that funny? I really would like to know!

Why are violence, promiscuity, and drugs accepted and tolerated? Well-educated, decent people in the community should stand up against this ridiculous problem facing young people today. Where are the voices of reason to overshadow the foul-mouthed crap that is featured in "ghetto" entertainment? It's infuriating!