Benjamin Haggerty: Music Video Analysis

In his article, “Toward a Policy on Drugs,” Elliot Currie discusses “the magnitude and severity of our drug crisis” (para. 21), and how “no other country has anything resembling the American drug problem” (para. 21). The best way to describe America’s drug problem is that it is a hole continuously digs itself deeper. America’s drug issues were likely comparable to other country’s at one point in time, but today it can be blamed on the “street cultures” (para. 21) that continue to use and spread the use of illegal drugs. These street cultures transcend the common stereotype of drug users, such as low income communities in cities or welfare recipients, and can be found in every economic class and location. They are groups of people who have

The 1990’s marked the beginning of a new war on drugs. Drug abuse rates had started to increase, wider variety of drugs became more common, and more people started to use. Not a lot has changed, because drug abuse is still very common in today’s society. In the 1990s, drug usage was bad, however a lot of the drugs in today 's society were not as common. Drug abuse is not just in the big cities,the problem is all over.

As detailed in Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, hip-hop was born through the explosion of creativity within America’s forgotten youth. The music spoke to the individuals in these forgotten communities. The music had a purpose and illuminated the political issues of the time. Sadly, over time, the increasing commodification of hip-hop as an art has gradually altered the audience of the music. As the audience has slowly changed, the meaning of some of the music has also changed. Capitalism has had a dual effect on hip hop; it has made hip hop “successful,” in that it spread it throughout the world and made it lots of money. On the other hand, it has distorted the original political nature of hip-hop. With that said, how has this change in hip-hop affected the purpose and audience of the art?

Hip Hop is seen as something inspiring, but most people see it as a way to speak out the truth about a problem. As in “Hip Hop planet” being able say the truth can sometimes worsen any situation because sometimes what we say can promote violence and whatever happens after is not in our control. The essay is about how hip hop has changed into speaking out the issues that need to be taken care of in order to maintain a proper society. McBride talked about how rappers use violent lyrics to degrade women and gays and because of this it shows how the music has evolved into something entirely different that no one would have ever expected to have changed. In James McBride's essay “Hip Hop Planet,” he argues that hip hop has a negative influence on American Culture despite people thinking of it as inspirational and how people live through different experiences in life despite of your race.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins is a novel that all high school students should be required to read because it tackles current issues through free verse poetry. It is a story about the consequences a straight-A junior in high school faces after she is exposed to crank, a powdered form of meth. Even though the topics within the book are controversial (such as drug use, rape, suicide, and abortion), it is on the same level as required reading already in the high school curriculum. Discussions can help students be able to calmly talk about heavy subjects and gain deeper insight. It could also dissuade students from drug use and provide comfort to those who already struggle with addiction.

Hip Hop was the wildfire that started in the South Bronx and whose flames leapt up around the world crying out for change. James McBride’s Hip Hop Planet focuses on his personal interactions with the development of Hip Hop culture and his changing interpretations of the world wide movement. Many of his encounters and mentions in the text concern young black males and his writing follows an evolution in the representation of this specific social group. He initially portrays them as arrogant, poor, and uneducated but eventually develops their image to include the positive effects of their culture in an attempt to negate their historical misrepresentation.

Provocative and eye-opening, The Stickup Kids urges us to explore the ravages of the drug trade through weaving history, biography, social structure, and drug market forces. It offers a revelatory explanation for drug market violence by masterfully uncovering the hidden social forces that produce violent and self-destructive individuals. Part memoir, part penetrating analysis, this book is engaging, personal, deeply informed, and entirely

The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates. Thus, vast efforts have been made to regulate the alleged drug problem through various avenues. For example, programs have been created to steer

Ellen Hopkins’ Crank is an epic poem geared toward warning young people of the various consequences of using dangerous drugs. However important its message, it provides a single story, a stereotypical tale influenced by pop culture about addiction and the people it affects. In the poem, the heroine, Kristina Snow, gets addicted to methamphetamines, otherwise known as “crank”. Her life takes a downward turn that includes pregnancy and dropping out of school. The poem depicts just one experience with drug abuse and links it to what is perceived to be the most likely thing to happen if you get addicted to drugs, providing a false single story for the young people it targets. The stereotypical race of Kristina for the specific drug, the pregnancy,

Additionally, the artists used in their performances are educated and well-informed on what they do. The use of vulgar and inappropriate English often characterizes the environment that most Black minorities have in the United States (Wingood et al., 2003). Copying the style of dressing and the use of poor language structure is likely to result in low grades for teenagers. Parents are required to educate their children despite their interest in rap music. Children should also be educated on the negative perception that materialistic possessions are not a form of winning sexual advantages in the society. In the end, the music is created with the main themes of sex, drug abuse, and immorality that cause negative effects on the life of teenagers (Elligan, 2004). In this case, the listener should always be wise to ensure that the music does not have a negative impact on behaviors, mood, and sexual orientations in the

This song have showed us very different representation of what it means to be our own person and what this world has come to. Macklemore shows us makes us realize we buy things based on what’s popular and makes us fits in, how we let material items determine our identities and change who we are as people, the people we look up to make us do things and how Americans buy items based on an advertisement. He brought back a way that was effect knowing we would listen because it came in a form that was direct, but you would not understand if you did not listen so closely. With what message we were giving are you really going to let matlertic items make you as a person or are you going to be yourself creating your own identity by standing outside

Rap music has always been an intriguing topic in society. It was created in the 1970s and continues through the present. There have been drastic changes since the commercial success for the Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rappers Delight” in 1979. The way rappers convey the message is completely different

The title “Otherside” represents his past, or in other words, the destructive side of himself he is ashamed of. Macklemore begins by utilizing the third person for this song. This allows his audience to visualize and have a personal connection to this unknown character. The character of the song began by asking someone what they were drinking, and soon discovered it was “lean”. His first reaction to this was “That's the same stuff Weezy's sippin' huh?” “Weezy” is an allusion to Lil Wayne another famous rapper and lean is a popular mix of both cough syrup and Sprite soda. As mentioned, the famous have a great impact on the lives of their followers, and this is evident in his lyrics when the character associates this substance with Lil Wayne. The young are constantly poisoned by the negative influence of famous rappers. Drugs are displayed as a norm through many celebrities, but contrary to Lil Wayne, Macklemore understands the impact of his influence on innocent minds. He emphasizes this later when he reveals, “Us as rappers underestimate the power and the effects that we have on these kids.” This one line is straightforward and stresses the true fact that social lights should be wary of what they are promoting to young kids. Macklemore continues his allusion to Lil Wayne as he states, “Despite how Lil Wayne lives/It's not conducive to being creative… I was off that same mix.” Although Lil Wayne may think that his creativity arises from being high, Macklemore’s newfound sobriety reveals that drugs are not needed to create good music. This line was also when Macklemore first shifted to using the first person. The shift in point of view shows that even the famous are now beginning to understand how dangerous drugs really are. It is no longer just one’s parents and professionals trying to stress this, but it is now the rappers who started

Drug use and addiction impact families, relationships and mental health. It is something that is so often seen and talked about within music and celebrities. Which in turn, can be easily glorified and encourage young people to give drugs a try. Macklemore, a rap artist and his producer wrote a song that sheds truth on addiction and the consequences that come forth with those choices. This song speaks of raw experience, deep regret, and how to overcome, despite peer pressure from others.

One of the biggest negative effects rap music has is the promotion of drug sells and usage. The number of drug references in songs have increased almost 600 percent over recent years. A study showed that 69 percent of rap songs mentioned the use of drugs. It has become a trend in today’s music scene as almost every song makes some type of reference. As an effect of