Rap lyrics that describe violence are a natural consequence of a world where classmates shoot a sixteen-year-old at close range because they want his jacket; where a fifteen-year-old boy is fatally stabbed to death by other teens because they want to steal his glasses; where a seventeen-year-old is stabbed to death after hitting another teen with an errant basketball pass; in a world where crack-empowered gangs run on a philosophy of old-fashioned, excessive, insatiable, and unending revenge. Martin Scorsese, from the Rolling Stone band, defended gangsta' rappers saying that they did not choose the life they live, instead, life chose them (Scorsese, 1990, p. 24). At the same time, other sources indicate that a big number of rap singers are being forced to have profanity in their lyrics. Dr. Delores Tucker cited a Wall Street Journal article in front of the committee of governmental affairs of US. It reported that a rap singer called Lichelle was being forced to change her lyrics. Lichelle's style of rap was considered soft. She was told that she would not be produced unless her rap was more hardcore and full of profanity (Tucker, 1997, p. 70). However, music producers say that they are not responsible for the lyrics being produced in their studios. They blame it on the singers and how they abuse the freedom of speech the government gives them. In other words, it seems that everyone is pointing fingers at each other.

For example, if one were travel to another country and culture where everyone eats dog meat, at first, it would taste different, and maybe even repulsive. But eventually, one would have to get used to it if that is all that was served. If a child were raised on dog meat he would never find it different, strange or repulsive because it was the norm. Likewise, when a child is raised in a culture like ours, where rap music is the norm, children don’t find it out of the ordinary. They are used to seeing half-naked girls and men with guns. Children assimilate themselves very easily to the culture and environment around them. They do not want to do things differently than what the media does. They do what they hear, and see; and at the same time they are being infected with the violence that music is teaching them through off-colored lyrics.

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