Black Images in Music Videos: Are They Leading Kids Astray?

A first time viewer of rap videos is sure to be scandalized by the violent and sexually explicit lyrics and dance moves that they contain. It does not get any easier to view with time and these videos manage to retain their ability to shock you whenever you view them. It is very unfortunate to note that most of the people featured in these videos are black. As a result of this, the black images that one sees in the media never fail to show the community in a very bad light.

If one were to go by the black images seen in music videos one would think that the women of that community were content to be nothing but sexual playthings. For starters they are very scantily dressed. In addition to that, their sexual gyrations can get very difficult to watch because they are of the variety that is best done behind closed doors. The men in these videos are uniformly violent and the women are all subservient to them.

The added message these black images portray is that there is no need to spend time getting an education because there are so many short cuts available to fame and fortune. The aggressive and angry lyrics suggest that there is no point in trying to get ahead in a world dominated by whites.

This predominance of negative black images in the media is of concern to community leaders for a variety of reasons. For starters it is just wrong to portray a community in a stereotypical light by ignoring all the other categories of people it includes. It does the majority of the black community a big disservice when these rap videos broadcast these violent and overtly sexual images. The other reason for concern is that they are believed to have a negative impact on the impressionable minds of teenagers who watch them.

There are studies that show an undeniable link between these rap videos and an increase in teen problems within the black community. The message that young people get from these videos is that it is perfectly normal to behave in a sexually promiscuous manner with no regard for authority and a conventional education and career. The result of this is an increase in a whole lot of problems such as drug use, crime and incidences of teen pregnancy. These videos are also linked with young people dropping out of school and also contracting venereal diseases.

Apart from the sexual angle, it is very wrong to suggest that education and hard work will not be able to take the community forward. There are many examples of people from within the black community who have improved their life by sheer dint of hard work. It is true that their stories are not accompanied with catchy music, and they do not seem like attractive role models. However, the best thing that the community can do is to ditch the message that the rap videos are giving and to look for new role models.

Author Bio: I am basically a graduate at the University of Hamburg and you can get awesome articles and valid information from the ones which I submit specially for you to take a look at. Check out Black Images, Black Graphics or Black Pictures.

Category: Entertainment
Keywords: black images, rap videos, teen pregnancy, black community, sexually promiscuous, venereal diseases

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