Is Dr. Rhymes his real name or his rap name? If it's his real name, he ought to go into the hip-hop biz.

I always thought music was simply about the human existance.

When folks start in on violence in today's music I like to refer them to "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", a wonderful little tune performed by Louie Armstrong, Bobby Darin, Sting, and Lyle Lovett, amongst others.

We know it as "Mac the Knife".

I know of no more violent or misogynistic song that more glorifies evil. Particularly since most contemporary versions leave out the moralistic and somewhat redemptive last verse.

Even the country music legend Kenny Rogers in his legendary ballad, "Coward Of The County," spoke of a violent gang-rape and then a triple-homicide by the song's hero to avenge his assaulted lover.

Carole-
Are you comparing "Coward of the County" and "Centerfold" to the obscenity and profanity filled rap and hip hop music?

You have got to be kidding me! If you want to talk about the white media CEOs making billions selling this crap that dehumanizes mainly women, but also the black community itself, that's one thing, but to compare a Kenny Roger's song to gangsta rap music, for the sake of your own credibility, I hope you're joking.

Coward of the County does seem a bit of a stretch to me. The protagonist loved his daddy, obeys his instructions for non-violence until he can no longer do so, and takes up for his beaten girl...and I don't think he killed the Gatlin boys.

Gone and insulted one of Kenny Rogers' songs. Roger Bowling had a gift for the formula song didn't he? (in a previous life, I installed the wood stoves in Bowling's country home in North Georgia. Nice place, nice enough guy.)

Say what you will, Coward still has a gang rape and justifies violence in the name of vengence. Basically makes the case that Jesus was wrong.

Knoxville Girl, Cocaine Blues, Delia and the list goes on. I'd never really considered this either, especially from this point of view.

I think the violence at the end of Coward was the exception to the rule. That's my two cents.

These are just songs after all . . . .

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak. - William Congreve

I well remember when my folks thought Elvis was taking the entire country to hell and my love of Little Richard's Lucille didn't help my cause around the house either.

Protest music of the sixties had a very powerful influence on the thinking of a generation and helped to change history.

In a sense, Hitler's attempt to rape the world was inspired by his passion for Wagnerian opera.

And the boys in World War I were certainly emboldened by the rousing strains of Over There.

Going back to a Civil War piece, how many of us keep a dry eye when we hear Taps?

Another gang that threatened the souls of polite society, the Strauss Family, made music that encouraged members of the opposite sex to embrace each other while dancing.

And, of course, watch the reaction when the band strikes up the musically wretched Rocky Top every fall at the Temple.

The Hill Online

This same general subject was discussed on Knoxblab a while back. There are any number of British folk ballads going back hundreds of years that deal in sex, violence and subversion of authority ("The Keeper," "Silver Dagger" "Two for the Show," "Duncan and Brady," "Tom Dooley" to name just a few). Country, folk and pop songs of the 20th century have covered these themes with regularity, and lots of music stars have lived and died projecting the outlaw image.

Here's the Knoxblab thread in which it was discussed:
(link...)

I'm trying to help myself understand more about rap and music's effect in general, and the historical effects of lyrics-what they reflect about us as humans. Every comment and commentary helps define the shape of things more accurately. That's why I like blogs. You don't just get the media message. Blogs also add thoughts and suggestions from ordinary people (well okay sometimes extraordinary experts too). Put them all together and poof! You've got quite a savory stew.