Comments on: READERS REACT: EXPLICIT LYRICS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON OUR CHILDREN

By: Leah

Leah — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:18:21 +0000

Teri-u sound racist..do you have a book listing all black girls and boys that are lacking behind everyone else?..get ur facts straight

Flag this

By: bre

bre — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:02:32 +0000

Ok im 16 and i listen to rap music and i dont have violent thoughts so dont ban the music that teenagers like just b/c u dont like it and think it makes us have violent thoughts, True im a white 16 year old girl but there is no difference its just music ok! Maybe its other issues that are making teenagers these days think violent thoughts like idk maybe KIDS AT SCHOOL

Flag this

By: Teri

Teri — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:00:16 +0000

Tamara, where did I say that white kids were the sensible ones? There’s emphasis on black music because that what kids of all races are listening to. My example has to do with black children because they are the ones that oftentimes lag behind everyone else academically and those are the ones that my brother interacts with. I also didn’t way that music ALONE was detrimental. All I’m saying is that some music is inappropriate for children. If parents choose to raise their children on a diet of music with crude and nasty lyrics, so be it. At the end of the day, I’m only responsible for what’s listened to in my house, and it is NOT allowed. No, you can’t control what your children listen to outside your home, but you d*mn sure can in your own. What others do in theirs, so be it.

Flag this

By: Nobody

Nobody — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:50:10 +0000

I’m a mom, in my 30′s and I like music such as NWA and Bone Thugs and Harmony. I let my kids listen to that and my favorite is ‘F*ck The Police’ because it speaks to our angst about police brutality and racial profiling. I was on welfare and ‘First of the Month’ was the SHIZZIT beck when checks came on the first! I still like it.

But todays rap lacks any type of social commentary and glorifies misogyny and sex. I don’t censor but I try to balance what my kids listen too by mixing the new with the old – rap stars like Big Daddy Kane, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. and Rakim, and Public Enemy, De La Soul, Kurtis Blow – they were some of my faves and I’m proud to say my a lot of that is on my son’s IPOD (yes, I know what’s on his IPOD, do you know what’s on your child’s?). I also listen to international (African, Celtic), country, classical, and R&B – and my children like varying music types also.

And leave BET alone unless you gonna fight to get betta programming ALONG WITH what they already got. If you you got cable there are dozens of cartoon channels, not to mention TLC, HGTV, History Channel, and the National Geographic channel – some of my favorite channels. And I love PBS. Set you own examples and start watching some of these channels yourselves. WHAT ARE YOU AS ADULTS LISTENING TO AND WATCHING?

and of course – TALK TO YOUR KIDS. Tell them why you worry and why you feel some of what they are watching is inappropriate and get their feedback. Did you know that children really do listen to you? They do. They listen and they will start to think.

btw – that song lyrics to ‘ONE MORE CHANCE’ really do suck. Tupac really was the better rapper.

Flag this

By: Tamara

Tamara — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:31:31 +0000

If music causes children to go astray then I have to disagree with you -Teri…

Why is there so much emphasis on “black” music but none on rock music? What do you think the white children are listening too??? They listen to rap and rock but according to you they are the sensible ones… this don’t sit to well with me.

I have children and I used to never let them listen to music with explicit language but unfortunately, it’s all around and they will hear it rather I like it or not. I prefer to listen to the music they are listening to and then we discuss what is right or wrong with the song. I am confident enough as a parent that I am raising my children to the best of my ability by teaching them right from wrong. I have three teens and I have to say thank god…. music has not influenced them to be a menace to society. They appreciate ALL types of music.

Flag this

By: miszbri

miszbri — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:50:29 +0000

I agree with Teri. I was raised listening 2 explicit lyrics but I never really became violent or anything, neither did my brothers. I think the parents need 2 teach their kids to be leaders and not followers, I mean just because Lil Wayne sipis lean I wouldn’t go out and do it. I think parents in society 2day try 2 put the blame on everyone else instead of themselves. But, that plays back to people not wanting to take the blame for our own actions

Flag this

By: Danielle

Danielle — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:16:19 +0000

Parents have the most responsibility. It is difficult to raise a child but censoring the music your child listens to is not. There are methods to block television channels, buy clean versions of CDs and most important, speak up when you feel the media is exposing children to anything suggestive.

Studies have shown over and over again that children exposed early in life to large amounts of violence do turn out to be more violent as teenagers and adults. Early sex education and openness in a loving and guided environment on the other hand actually leads to a decrees in early sexual contact and lower teen pregnancies. The numbers out of Europe, very open in sexuality, prove that the American way of blocking anything to do with sex and lack of sex education just do not work.

Flag this

By: Shawna

Shawna — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:34:56 +0000

you cant stop the kids from listening to the music no matter how hard you try if musicians cleaned up there music it would help alot. This reminds of watching the an interview with 50 cent where he said he hadn’t been through most the stuff he talks about in his songs but he makes them and puts on a gangster persona because he knows thats what the kids will like and buy

Flag this

By: Teri

Teri — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:17:19 +0000

A musician can express himself/herself the way they choose. It’s the parent’s responsibility to raise their children with a moral foundation and to not expose them to anything that would be detrimental to their growing minds. Children are sponges, so why expose them to unnecessary garbage? Expose them to reading, writing and arithmetic – something that’s going to build their future not muddle it. My brother is an instructor at his local school district, and you’d be surprised how many kids can quote Lil Wayne and can barely put two sentences together. Why is this? He speaks of how many children get a consistent diet of BET, yet can’t and won’t turn in their homework. Some parents don’t stress education and their poor children are growing to be one of the many statistics that litter our communities. I agree with Jasmine – there’s some lyrics I don’t even want to listen to.

Ultimately it’s the parents responsibility, not the artists, to raise their children and to make sure they have the best advantages they can in life.

Flag this

By: jasmine

jasmine — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:44:44 +0000

Personally, sometimes I can’t even take certain explicit lyrics – it just seems so unnecessary and vulgar to me – and there’s no way in hell I’d let any child of mine listen, or rap/sing to, songs with explicit content. But to each his own.

Flag this