Senior Project Online Source

“Specific Page Title or Article Title” Experts debate hip-hop's influence on American culture, youth, for better or for worse
Primary Contributor to the Website (if given) (author, editor, producer, etc) Copyright Brigham Young University
Title of the Entire Website (not www.) newsnet
Publisher or Sponsoring Organization of the website (if given)
Date Page was Last Revised Ex: 10 September 2010
Date You Read It Ex: 30 January 2012
<URL address> (ALL of it) http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/55516

The article cites Salome Thomas El, a principle of an elementary and middle school in inner city Philadelphia who said that, “A lot of young people listen to their [rappers’] lyrics and take their word as law,” while being interviewed on “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News about the issue of rap and its effects on children.

Thomas El believes that those that come from a bad past look towards music as a sanctuary for peace because it helps them relive the past and plan a better future by trying, “live what they learn and learn what they live”. Many of these children come from broken homes and are trying to find peace out in the open world.

I can relate to Thomas El quote when he said, “A lot of times he [the rapper] becomes the teacher. He becomes the role model to these young people.” When a depressing mood kicks in I have a set of artist that I know who can lyrically speak to me throught my pain and hopefully increase my self-esteem.

Thought many might not accept what these rappers are putting in kids ears in today’s society, some are trying to send out positive message said Salome Thomas El, “At a certain level we need to listen to what these folks [rap artists] are saying because they are in a sense telling us perhaps what’s wrong in society or they may be telling us what’s good in society,” he said. “So, in a sense, I think it’s all important”.

He also said the innovation involved in rap is “fantastic.” He also said the use of a turntable as an instrument by scratching it and the adoption of the new dance styles mixed with the old styles is “phenomenal."Meaning this style of expressing yourself has been the most popular in today’s youth and it doesn’t seem that it’s going tom fade anytime soon.