Imagine an inner city individual having grown up in an environment where real life street violence is a way of life. His body, having survived personal experiences of violence, endured barely life-sustained conditions, and many sleepless nights caused by the constant yet unpredictable call of death. His mind doubtful over where his next meal will come from, lost in search of some higher guidance, struggling through a world, not of innocent childish fantasies, but trapped in a forced reality. His only outlet is the loud blaring music coddling his already pent-up rage, an escape from these harsh realities, seducing him to a life of violence. In him is created a "me against the world" mentality that is manifested in the rap and

With all the down play that rap music brings to women you are probably wondering why so many women listen to this music. One explanation I can offer is the way woman has begun to counterbalance the phenomenon in this culture. Women have started making songs that talk about them taking back their respect. An example of this is in Queen Latifah's song Unity where she says "U-N-I-T-Y, U-N-I-T-Y that's a unity (you got to let him know you ain't a bitch or a hoe)." It is almost as if woman have found a way to relate with rap music in the same way that men have. Which is pretty interesting it is like a subculture with in a subculture. Another example of respect for woman can also be shown in Tupac Shakur's song "Keep Ya Head Up" it contains such lyrics as "I wonder why we take from our women Why we rape our women Do we hate our women? I think it's time we care for our women Time to heal our women." The lyrics of this song encourage men to respect women. So as we can see there are some men with in the hip hop culture who believe that woman need to be respected the same way men are.

There are many issues involved with this culture but you know what that is what makes this group of people unique and different from other subcultures. They have these issues with society and know they have them but still continue to express there words the same way with out changing a thing for anyone. In the eyes of these people they feel that why should I assimilate to your world why not you accommodate our needs so that we can all live together in what you may consider peace. I will live in my world a

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Approximate Word count = 1077
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)