CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

INTRODUCTION

Most music today especially rap and heavy metal most of the lyrics contain references to violence, sex, and/or drugs. These types of music have been involved to music violence, they provoke violence in songs, they tend to influence young listeners like a child, teenagers.

Many argued that this is dangerous to children to hear we know that a modern day teenager often faces violence, drugs, suicide, pregnancy, and other aspects of this music. As we understood the music means we ask ourselves does the child know the true meaning of these songs, this can lead them to imitate what is said and done in that particular type of song.

Many kids are easily influenced so now is the time that a kid should know what these mean. As artist wanted to be artistic they applied violence to music that is shown or heard so the kids should be informed and let them understood that these type of violence should not be imitated and they should not tolerate that kind of actions. (http://rense.com/general59/teens.htm)

The effects of music violence. This provides entertainment and an outlet to release any emotion. However, music preference differs depending on the age, gender, culture etc. The choice of music can bring positivity or negativity to the listener. Listening to heavy rock or metal with explicit lyrics and references to drugs, sex, suicide, profanity or Satanism somehow affects the mood and behavior. When these lyrics are processed, memorized, and even taken deeply into the heart, this promotes negativity leading to violence because some people tend to imitate what shown or heard in the song.

In people music violence is an extreme form of aggression, such as assault, rape or murder that is represented in different types of genre in music.Violence has many causes, including frustration, exposure to violent media, violence in the home or neighborhood and a tendency to see other people's actions as hostile even when they're not. Certain situations also increase the risk of aggression, such as drinking, insults and other provocations and environmental factors like heat and overcrowding. As music violence became widespread and influential to people they tend to imitate the actions that they hear and saw in songs, this violence can lead to negative actions. Children is one good example they don’t really know what it is they just copy and do it to without knowing what it is.

Researchers have long believed that the type of music we listen to says a lot about who we are; opening up someone's CD case is like opening a window into their mind. So what makes us choose the music that we do? A study by Rentfrow and Gosling (2003) indicated that our personality, self-view and even our level of intelligence can have a potential impact on our music preferences. Our mood and level of self-esteem has also been shown to influence our tastes. The potential impact, and more notably, the dangers that different styles can have on us, have gotten a lot of attention in the news and the medical profession. Heavy metal, morethan any other genre, has garnered the most scrutiny. Us, have gotten a lot of attention in the news and the medical profession. Heavy metal, more than any other genre, has garnered the most scrutiny.

Music in today’s generation has been a widespread and influential. Music today applies violence, Music violence had been a huge problem for children and adults. Music today promotes violence and sexually explicit contents that is argued dangerous for children because they tend to imitate what is shown and what they hear.

The purpose of this paper is to let the people know the effects of music violence to mass media, youth, and children. This paper can help the people know what action should they do to avoid violence to their children. Music violence can lead a children or a teenager to dangerous things, this paper helps people to understand the negative effects of music violence as they explain to their children.

B. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to answer this question:

1. How does music violence on popular hip-hop artists affects or influences people?

C. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Mass Media.This research paper will be able to use this information to help the mass media to understand the story behind those violent lyrics that is used in the song. This can help them that the lyrics does not mean to violate and there's a postive explanation behind those lyrics used.

Youth.This research would give them a brief through the topic and helps them to understand why is this violent lyrics necessary to used in a song and that those lyrics should not be taken literally.

D. SCOPE AND DELIMINATION

Media: A audience through the use of television, film, radio or written forms of communication.

E. MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research employs objectives since the researchers aims to get the effects of music violence to people. This method is defined as a process finishing the objectives that the topic is needing.

F. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Violence - Is an extreme form of aggression, such as assault, rape or murder. Violence has many causes, including frustration, exposure to violent media, violence in the home or neighborhood and a tendency to see other people's actions as hostile even when they're not. Certain situations also increase the risk of aggression, such as drinking, insults and other provocations and environmental factors like heat and overcrowding.

Lyrics – Are a set of words that make up a song consisting verses and choruses.

Music- is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture.

CHAPTER 2

DISCUSSION

How does music violence on popular hip-hop artists affects or influences people?

9. Music Violence on popular hip-hop artists

Music has always been a way to express a thought, a feeling, and/or an opinion. It is way of life and for many, a way of living. A lot of topics can and may be discussed in a song and may be expressed through the lyrics written within the context of a song.

The concept of music is to impart a message an individual has to his peers. Aggression may be present as to the message may be of angst and of hatred. A lot of people vent out in the form of music, and that results to angry, hostile songs that contribute to a lot more angst that is now present in society.

When in despair, a lot of people tend to listen to songs that would very well fit their mood and may result to music violence. In its essence music violence is the type of music that would cause and inflate aggression to a listener or to a person who can very much relate to the lyrics being sung. These can affect a person’s perception and the way he may think about the notion of life.

There are many kinds of singers that bring the message across more than others, songs that most people would relate to, to a greater degree.

Singers that have influenced many people through their music and through their life:

1. Chris Brown

According to Emily Longretta’s article entitled “Chris Brown raps: Everybody sleep with my ex” in Hollywood Life, Chris brown disses Rihanna in the song "I'm Still". This song is where Chris Brown is featured in a song of DJ Khaled’s. He doesn't necessarily name Rihanna in the song but they have said that she has the right to be offended because she is absolutely referenced in the song I'm still. Brown didn't mention Rihanna's name, but listeners know whom he refers to. "Every n***a in the industry done fucked my b***h/ And all my n***as said I told ya/Now all these rap n***as wanna be political/ Nah, f**k that I'm a real lyrical killer," he raps. (hollywoodlife.com/2013/10/16/chris-brown-disses-rihanna-im-still-rap-verse/)

The article writes how Rihanna was affected by the song, who, at that time, still wasn’t over the break that happened between her and Chris Brown, and the song with the lyrics dissing her.

The article stated “So much for staying civil! Chris Brown has seriously dissed Rihanna in a new rap verse that has just been released. He even claims in the song that she’s had sex with everyone in the industry!”

While dissing your ex may be fine, the song has an equal effect to its listeners about the angst Chris Brown still has on Rihanna that may cause hatred to her by Chris’ fans. Though they live in the limelight of all showbiz, the people still has no right as to the judgment they may have on them. Chris Brown’s music encompasses that saying bad things to the person you were once with is okay.

2. Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook popularly known as Alicia Keys is an R&B singer-songwriter, pianist, musician, record producer and actress. We popularly known Alicia Keys from her song no one and girl on fire. Alicia keys wrote and recorded for the soundtrack in "Men In Black" back in 1997. She gets people’s attention by just playing the piano and singing with her soulful voice, in fact she possesses a great interest in music since her childhood.

According to the article by Terrence J entitled “Read Alicia Keys’ Letter To You On The Meaning of ‘Girl On Fire”, Alicia Keys is honored to share her fifth studio album "Girl On Fire". She said that she took out her comfort zone. Girl On Fire is about new beginnings, new perspective and fresh starts. The song is about finding your own inner strength and channeling it in a way you never tried before.

(zhiphopcleveland.com/3727375/read-alicia-keys-letter-to-you-on-the-meaning-of-girl-on-fire/)

Ever since we heard the chorus to Alicia keys smash first single "Girl On Fire," these MV displayed some of the different roles women play in society, and made us appreciate the song more. They decided to put what a woman does in her everyday life. There are certain things women does every day put the kids to bed, make food, clean the house, you are with your man and there are certain things that you can relate. So that is why we wanted to display and show.

Alicia Keys wrote to her fans “To be “on fire” is to allow yourself the freedom to take full control of who you are and how you want to live your life. To live your passion and shine your light unabashedly!! It’s that moment you choose to claim your power and be extraordinary.”

To take a song and help people be inspired is another way to take a point across for the world to understand. Not only did Alicia Keys took her point across she also took women empowerment to another level.

3. Macklemore

Ben Haggerty, born June 18, 1983known by his stage name Ma and formerly Professor Macklemore, is an American rapper. He made songs such as “Thrift Shop” and the intriguing single, “Same Love”

According to Sarah Swong’s article entitled “ Macklemore and Ryan Lewis New Song Same Love Takes Homophobia Out of Hip Hop” same love is a song that he wanted to make a long time ago but he didn't know exactly how to address this issue. He said that he wanted to right a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hiphop community in the world. Macklemore's (http://www.policymic.com/articles/11502/macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-new-song-same-love-takes-homophobia-out-of-hip-hop)

uncle is gay, he said the flagrant use of gay as a derogative term in the hiphop community. Musicians believed that it's a matter of time that like faggot, gay as a lyric. It takes a couple of time but eventually that type of vocabulary would be eliminated just like the song same love did. While more and more pro-gay artists are coming out, same love is the first hiphop song that has rapped positively about homosexuality. Ellen Degeneres is a fan that is saying there are no other rappers have stood for marriage equality like they have.

Same Love presents an uprising of sorts because the case Macklemore presented was a very sensitive topic. He stands in the middle of the controversy of same sex relationship and that much will tell you why the people listen to him, he influences people with different perspective.

2. Types Of Music Violence

1. Hip-hop

Hip hop music or rap music is a music genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted. On the other hand, Gangsta (or gangster) rap is a subgenre of hip hop that reflects the violent lifestyles of inner-city American black youths. This kind of music posed a great deal of controversy and criticism from media and even religious sector. The music’s theme is heavily associated to drugs, racism, promiscuity, profanity, sex addiction, alcoholism and violence. In 2007 it was reported in NY times that Colorado police links violence to music. The increasing number of homicide is suspected to have correlation to gangsters, rap music and violence. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/03/us/03hiphop.html?_r=0 )

According to the article by Dan Frosch entitled “Colorado Police Link Rise in Violence to Music” The police were saying gangsta rap is contributing to violence and reports of rising murder rate, there are full of luring gang members and activity to nightclubs. The police are saying that hip-hop should be abolished and it promotes violence to people. Police were saying nightclubs is not safe, the one who runs a local hip-hop promotions company, Dirty Limelight. The streets wants to shut down hip-hop for good because of the negative actions it promotes, they said that they don’t want it to survive.

To take hip-hop violence to clubs is dangerous promoting negative kinds of actions in a public place is influential to people especially to kids like teenagers. Hip-hop is not bad actually it just depends on the people listening to hip-hop or imitating the violence and taking it literally.

2. Heavy Metal

Heavy metal is  loud and harsh sounding rock music with a strong beat; lyrics usually involve violent or fantastic imagery. For others heavy metal is not pleasing to the ears because of loud rough sounds coming from different types of instruments. For me heavy metal is not bad depends on the song. Heavy metal is most popular to people who isn’t a fan of hip-hop.

Most of heavy metal or rock bands have been accused of promoting suicide and violence through their music. Performers like Slayer, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and among others have all been the scapegoat in numerous suicides. The violent-song increases in aggressive thoughts and feelings have implications for real world violence. (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=heavy metal music )

According to lead researcher Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D. of Iowa State University. "Aggressive thoughts can influence perceptions of ongoing social interactions, coloring them with an aggressive tint. Such aggression-biased interpretations can, in turn, instigate a more aggressive response -verbal or physical - than would have been emitted in a nonbiased state, thus provoking an aggressive escalatory spiral of antisocial exchanges," said Dr. Anderson. Heavy metal as we see is a type of music that is really rough through the voice the instruments and the band they really look disturbing. The violence in heavy metal increases in aggressive thoughts of a person, there is someone who listened heavy metal before he died they have said that heavy metal pushed to commit suicide due to its aggression. Back in 1985, when California teenager John McCollum took his own life, his parents discovered that the last song he’d listened to was Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Suicide Solution’ and promptly sued Ozzy for $9 million. It was alleged that the track contained the subliminal message: “Get the gun”. 

I really can't blame anyone for hating metal when they get their exposure from headbanger's ball. Understand that true metalheads don't call most of that shit metal. Most of it's there just to sell an image. Most real metal is way underground. You really have to look around to find the good stuff since it's an extreme artform that most people can't appreciate.

2. Effects of music violence

1. TEENS

Being a teen one is someone who is longing for attention and to be "cool". getting drunk, high, or laid any day of the week is a must. they hang out at the mall, movie theater, and any other place that other teens can be found. when not at these teen gathering zones they are at home watching movies and chatting to buddies if they are not at their home they are at a "teen party" doing all of the above. their relationships last 2-3 weeks and their sexual expeditions are far from confidential. Teens are the stage of knowing new things and easily influenced.

According to Donald F. Roberts, Peter G. Christenson, and Douglas A. Gentile Studies that use music videos on the other hand show an increased tolerance in deviant behavior among both males and females. Music videos add reinforcement to what is being heard with the use of visuals. Now an extra sense is being used. Videos often exhibit sexual innuendo, acts of aggression, and gender stereotypes. Studies showed that men have a tolerable attitude as to what is violent and what is too far in sexual advances. Women have less of a tolerance. Studies have also found that heavy metal music and gansta rap influence mens attitudes towards women and that increased exposure to videos containing interpersonal violence against women tended to increase men's acceptance of rape myths such as she was dressing like she wanted it or she brought it on herself.

(https://www.psychology.iastate.edu/~dgentile/106027_08.pdf)

For teens seeing these kinds of violence increases their aggression that is why there are reports of abuse on women, rape, molested. Music videos show an increases tolerance in deviant behavior among both male and females, it increases sexual attraction to men and women that’s why teens get raped and have kids. These is the stage that you face your consequences alone because you are old enough to know what is right and what is wrong.

2. CHILDREN

Being a child is a stage of being ignorant to all what is happening. This where they just eat play go to school watch movies at home. In short they are illiterate and starting to know things on earth. (http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Medical_Students_and_Residents/Mentorship_Matters/DevelopMentor/The_Impact_of_Media_Violence_on_Children_and_Adolescents_Opportunities_for_Clinical_Interventions.aspx )

According to Eugene V. Beresin M.V entitled “The Impact of Media Violence on Children and Adolescents: Opportunities for Clinical Interventions”. How does televised violence result in aggressive behavior? Some researchers have demonstrated that very young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV in their play with peers. Before age 4, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. In general, violence on television and in movies often conveys a model of conflict resolution. This mainly says that when a children see’s something that is actually new to him or her they will imitate what they saw on televisions.

For children they should be guided and be guarded for what they watch on television it is very dangerous when they see violence on television because music violence is a widespread and they can easily see it by just pressing the remote control, that is why parents should guide there children in growing up.

CHAPTER 3

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

SUMMARY

This paper attempted to determine the effects of music violence to people.

1. Not all violence in music is bad, it is the attitude they feel toward s music violence.
2. People take these music violence literally
3. Music violence affects children and teenager’s psychologically

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. It is difficult to children and teenagers to know the true meaning of music violence since there many things needed to be explained.
2. In understanding music violence, listeners should not take these music violence literally it is just feelings they release in songs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

After drawing the conclusions of the study, the researchers hereby make the following suggestions/recommendations:

1. In listening this music violence, it is better that one has an understanding towards music violence that they have a proper approach towards music violence to help the young listeners.
2. They should design a research that explains that music violence is not really that bad and it has a proper reason why they put it in music.

REFERENCES:

1. Internet

“Violence”

(http://www.apa.org/topics/violence/)

“Music and Violence”

(http://www.queendom.com/articles/articles.htm?a=42)

“Colorado Police Link Rise in Violence to Music”

(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/03/us/03hiphop.html?_r=1&)

“Heavy Metal Music”

(http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=heavy metal music)

“Violent Music Lyrics Increase Aggressive Thoughts and Feelings, According to New Study”

(http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2003/05/violent-songs.aspx)

“Why Do Metal Bands Always Get Blamed For Violence In America?”
(http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/why-do-metal-bands-always-get-blamed-for-violence-in-america#Vqwoh08tBOsr722d.99)

“The Effects of Violent Music on Children and Adolescents”

(https://www.psychology.iastate.edu/~dgentile/106027_08.pdf)

“The impact of media violence to children and adolescents”

(http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Medical_Students_and_Residents/Mentorship_Matters/DevelopMentor/The_Impact_of_Media_Violence_on_Children_and_Adolescents_Opportunities_for_Clinical_Interventions.aspx)

“Chris Brown raps: Everybody sleep with my ex”

(hollywoodlife.com/2013/10/16/chris-brown-disses-rihanna-im-still-rap-verse/)

“Read Alicia keys letter to you”

(zhiphopcleveland.com/3727375/read-alicia-keys-letter-to-you-on-the-meaning-of-girl-on-fire)

“ Macklemore and Ryan Lewis New Song Same Love Takes Homophobia Out of Hip Hop”

(http://www.policymic.com/articles/11502/macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-new-song-same-love-takes-homophobia-out-of-hip-hop)

MUSIC VIOLENCE

A Research Paper Presented To

The English Resource Center

School Of Accountancy and Business

Asia Pacific College

3 Humabon Place, Magallanes Makati City

In Partial Fullfillment

Of the Requirements for the Course

Reswrite BM132- Research Writing

Ivan S. Gusi

December 2013