The beginnings of rap are believed to based on African rhythms which were used as a form of communication by the native peoples. The lyrical component of rap music is thought to have been greatly influenced by Cab Calloway with his repetitive chants and scats, along with his call-and-response technique with the audience. .
Rap evolved and gained in popularity in the 1960's when a few revolutionary "DJ's," including Kool DJ Herc, DJ Lovebug Starski, and DJ Hollywood, began to work block parties in the Bronx. They would bring in large speakers, hook them up to a turntable and play two of the same record at the same time, repeating the same section of the vinyl over and over by scratching it. Other performers would chant and yell to the crowd. .
In 1979, music companies recorded rap for the first time. Such acts as The Sugar Hill Gang, The Fatback Band, and Grandmaster Flash were among the first to gain popularity. In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released the first popular politically based rap. Grandmaster's song "The Message" deals with life in the inner city, and the stress of being around violence and drugs. It included such lyrics as, "Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat, I tried to get away but I can't get far, cause the man with the touch-up repossessed my car, don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge- .
The early popularity of rap was hindered by an inability to reach new audiences. After much controversy, MTV began to run videos by black artists. These artists were showcased primarily on the new program "Yo! MTV Raps". The rhythms and the lyrics attracted a spectrum of listeners, from inner-city minorities to suburban upper-class whites. .
During the same era, as rap was rising in popularity, the infamous "PMRC hearings" occurred. Tennessee senator Al Gore's wife, Tipper, led the PMRC, or Parents' Music Resource Center. This group, which included a number of other wives of Washington legislators, convinced Congress to hold hearings regarding the placement of warning labels on "offensive" albums.
Now in the twenty-first century the major focus of censorship is rap, mainly gangster rap. ... They have call for a censorship of his music. ... In 2000 Cheney went before the Senate to call for censorship of the rapper's lyrics. ... Violence in rap songs has also taken center stage and is getting their share of criticism and attempted censorship. ... I do not agree with the censorship of music. ...
It is not only rap music trying to be censored it is in all types of music. ... You also may remember when hard-core rapper Ice-T wrote the song cop killer. ... Who act has also had their share of censorship. Morello is the founder of Parents for Rock and Rap, an anti-censorship organization that she runs from her home. ... After researching music censorship and supporting anti-censorship organizations, I realize that there is much work to be done to get free speech. ...
Censorship of music can take various forms. ... Many of the rappers today come from childhoods living in the harsh, urban streets. ... Rap is their outlet for anger. However, rap is the most censored form of music on the market today. ... That is blatant censorship" (quoted in Benesch). ...
., are few lyrics from the music genre "gangsta rap." ... Not only is the music violent but the rappers lifestyle is also. Many rappers have rap sheets and young people see that and say, "Hey, their rich and money talks." ... Some censorship has been incorporated in the radio industry. Inner City Broadcasting has put a stop to playing hard-core rap and other misogynous and violent rap. ...
Censorship in Music Censorship, the act of condemning a piece because of its content, is most widely recognizable in the music industry. ... These accusations prompt the harsh censorship of music. ... Parents and experts argue that rappers and musicians use vulgar, profane, sexually explicit lyrics to target the teenage audience. ... Luther Campbell, of the rap group 2 Live Crew released a single titled "Banned in the USA" in response to the labeling. ... Music censorship has limited the creativity of music. ...
Censorship of Music In today's society, all types of music artists are expressing their views, opinions and feelings in their songs about what they see and what they know. ... It is not only rap music trying to be censored it is in all types of music. ... You may remember when hard-core rapper Ice-T wrote the song cop killer. ... Censorship is coming down now harder then it has before. ... The more people realize that rights are being violated, the more people will support the anti-censorship groups. ...
This is one solution that seems to make good sense to many to support the censorship of music. ... In the past eight years, the period in which "gangsta" rap has been heavily promoted, teenage drug use has increased more than four-fold (Dr. ... This argument is not isolated to urban areas, or rap music. ... If certain song lyrics offend some listeners, that, though unfortunate, is not acceptable grounds for invoking blanket censorship. ... Banning gangsta rap wouldn't do anything, except hide the truths that lie in the inner cities" (Walsh, p. 1). ...
The rap group "2 Live Crew" was the target for the censorship bureau in the time. ... In the 90's rap music was taking all the heat for music censorship. ... Now rap and hip-hip aren't the only type of music getting "picked on". Rock and heavy metal music are in the same boat as rap and hip-hop. Personally I think that heavy metal lyrics are little more violent than rap. ...
