Music These Days

While I've never been a huge fan of the general mainstream rap or hip-hop, there's always been a few songs I really liked. But for the most part, the songs I heard on the radio from elementary school onward served the purpose of being entertaining, whether it was funny like Shaggy's song about getting caught "banging on the bathroom floor", or if it was Afroman's song about getting high.

Back then, I thought those songs were great. How hilarious that someone makes a song about this kinda sh**! But now, after having worked with children in an after school program for a couple years and done a little research on the media's effect on children, I have a new perspective. Take for example, Lil Wayne's song "Every Girl." Here are the lyrics. Don't know if anyone else had a "WTF" moment with that song, but I know I did! I instantly picture all the little under 18 year old boys singing this as their personal anthems. To think about someone having made it in the music industry, only to popularize sex, drugs, and alcohol, is so disheartening.

It's hard enough to grow up in our society. The last thing our youth needs is filthy rich rappers preaching about how living extravagantly and unrestrained (in terms of addictions like money, sex, drugs, aclohol, women) is what's up, all because they themselves probably can't stand to fall asleep sober.....