Music is a true form of expression, but can it be a weapon? When taken literally does music have the power to kill? Can one person’s view, one person’s words, manipulate a mass audience? I say no, mainly because people have a little thing called human nature. People do the things they want, when they want. Music is not to be blamed for people’s stupidity. Music can be, however, a very strong form of expression that can erupt very strong emotions.

Hip Hop music for instance is very homophobic by its nature. When a rapper is bad mouthed by another rapper, he is usually called a derogatory term for a homosexual person. Is this wrong? I say no, mainly because rappers have the freedom of speech. Just like me and you, rappers can say what they please. I’m not homophobic myself; hell I’d vote for gay marriage. The fact of the matter is that a rapper has free speech rights. Just as a Neo-Nazi has the right to march in the middle of South Central, rappers are allowed to say whatever they please. But still, the government does what they can to prevent sales of records from certain artists.

Laura Bush, the First Lady of the United States, has tried to prevent record sales of rappers like Eminem because of his use of hate speech. Bill O’Reilly, host of The O’Reilly Factor, managed to have Pepsi revoke a contract they had with rapper Ludacris. All of this because rappers are supposedly bad role models to the youth of America. But didn’t Bill O’Reilly get accused of sexual harassment in the workplace? What a great example he is for the youth of today.

Since Hip Hop’s rise to popularity, the mainstream has been trying to control it. Funny how a violent form of expression can have so many restrictions. As I see it, rappers are walking on thin ice at all times. They’re always being watched, always being regulated. More rappers are currently in prison than any other artists in different forms of music. Coincidence? I think not.

The thing about Hip Hop is that the majority of the suits in Washington cannot relate to these artists, nor do they try to. They think rap is all about “fo shizzle” and big flashy possessions, but it’s more than that. Hip Hop is a lyrical form of expression, a lyrical art form. Most importantly, it’s an escape from the real world, an escape from the regulations and pressures of society. Enuff Said.