A Lyrical Controversy
A Lyrical Controversy A “gangsta” rapper parades around with his many women, gold teeth, and souped up cars. A tattoo-clad rocker drinks a beer in a room full of empties, as he sings in not-so-subtle ways about his hopeless addiction to drugs. These images and many others are put forth every day in numerous popular rap and rock songs that hit the airwaves with regularity. Along with these songs come the perpetuating of stereotypes and the demeaning of women that has many critics calling them just plain vulgar. Critics will say that these songs are obscene and tasteless and corrupt the minds of America's youth. While this stance can be argued, it can also be said that while the lyrics and images presented in these songs can be offensive, they depict the real life and struggles of a large sector of people living in this country. The writers of these songs may not simply set out to shock us through explicit vulgarity, but to invite the listener into their world in a real and poignant way, showing us that life isn't always “sunshine on your shoulders making you happy.” (Sunshine On My Shoulders, Bob Dylan) Two such songs that illustrate this point are “N.Y. State of Mind Part II” by Nas, and “Slow Motion” by Third Eye Blind.