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Hip Hop influences some students but in various ways

By Shayla Wesley, Senior

Hip Hop is a culture that includes rap music, style, language, and the way one presents themselves, and it influences well beyond those categories. Many are touched by this culture which as become its own industry of sales and promotion, but are teens at Messmer any more or less attracted to the ways of this world?

“I don’t think I am influenced by the Hip Hop world,” says senior Jasmine L. Davis. “I am my own person, and I do not let it get me to do anything.” Davis, then, is not one of the 46% of students that say that style influences them the most.

Junior Anthony Spicer claims, “Style influences me because if I am watching BET and I see a jacket or a belt that I like, I am most likely going to go out and buy it.” Surprisingly, only 14% say that the use of good and bad language influences them. “I am not influenced by the bad use of language because I do not repeat what other people say if I know that it will get me in trouble,” Spicer continues. Regarding others, “I think people do mimic of the Hip Hop World for kids because if a child sees something that they will like to try then they will eventually try to experience what they just saw,” stated Spicer.

Fashion trends are mostly routinely modeled by teens. If the Hip Hop trends bring out a new fashion such as skinny jeans or the puppy dog hat, a majority will most likely mimic that or try to find a similar style. Over three fourths of the studnets admit to buying into the trends they see.

There are both positive and negative affects of this culture on the general public. A positive effect can be encouraging people to stop all the violence and hatred towards one another.

“Nas is a perfect example because he wants people to come together as one and he wants to see change in the world,” states senior Shakira Taylor.

On the other hand, one negative effect trickles down to young kids. Children can be listening to a radio or watching television then all of a sudden a bad word is said and now the child is just going around saying that word they heard. Parents must be aware of what their children are watching or listening to and have a discussion about what is acceptable to model.