Rapping and Reality

I think that it was stupid and reckless of rapper Remy Ma to shoot her friend over an argument with money, and something terrible to even shoot someone in general, however I don't believe that Remy Ma is necessarily a terrible person. When I listen to one of her songs, I don't think of buying myself a gun and some bullets, or sneaking out to smoke or drink on late nights at packed, seedy clubs. I listen to the beat of the song, and though I hear what she's saying, I become less frustrated with my life and whatever's bringing me down that happened at school. Remy started rapping because she was angry about her situation, and her family's struggles with poverty in the Bronx, and rap helped her vent; she wasn't planning to go out and shoot people in real life.

Of course, I can't compare my frustration and anger to Remy's, as the issues she struggled with weren't just momentary feelings of being bummed out or annoyed. Yet it still helps to play her songs at times, when I want to shut out the world and sit all by my lonely self until that feeling I can't shake off dissapears. It wouldn't help to make the argument that it's all just pretend, though; remember the shooting incident? I don't think that Remy intended to get involved with real-life crime, or get slapped with 8 years in jail. She may have just gotten carried away and thought she was above the law, having enjoyed her taste of fame a little too much. Still, when it comes to rap music, it can be hard to tell the difference between music and reality when rappers cross the line.

My mom's a very liberal person, yet had gotten the idea that the rappers I listen to were poisoning my mind, and turning me into a trash talking rebel. She hated the idea that the hip hop subculture was turning me against the law, and towards "drug addicts" (Eminem), "drunk drivers" (T.I.) and "jailbirds" (Remy Ma, O'l Dirty Bastard, etc.) She believes that Remy Ma is a terrible person for wounding someone, that T.I. is a bad person for endangering lives while driving drunk, and that Eminem, who "almost died" as a result of his addiction, is an awful role model. I don't turn to those people for life lessons, and certainly don't keep a pen and notepad by my side while I turn on their songs so I can take notes from their music.

It's frustrating when a rapper goes out and commits a crime for real, because then, any protest that rappers are "just putting on an act" can be forgotten at that point. However, no matter what message a gangsta or hardcore rap song conveys, it's important for fans, parents and authorities alike to remember that these rappers are musicians, not role models. Missy Elliott herself said that parents need to stop turning to artists to be kid's role models, though her music's relatively positive and upbeat. Fans can enjoy music while not copying every bad decision a rapper makes. Also, parents need to know that people can do terrible things and make bad choices, but that doesn't make them terrible human beings or Musicians. Tupac made plenty of bad choices in his lifetime, yet his lyrics were beautiful and poetic, just listen to Thug's Mansion, though in that case, aspiring writers should take a note or two from that song. Eminem is getting over his addiction for the sake of his daughters and is back making great music, and is now making good choices. As for Remy Ma, well, she's got 8 years to redeem herself, and hopefully will have changed for the better.