Many social scientists agree that the social norms that define manhood today are one-dimensional. If one were to believe everything he or she sees in the media, men in hip-hop culture are grimacing, over-sized, monosyllabic cartoons, instead of the complex individuals they actually are.

Lyrics in a majority of mainstream rap songs depict an image of manhood as including multiple female partners, a violent criminal history and extreme interests in material goods such as cars, jewelry and brand-name alcohol. Many major-label rap music videos go one step further, re-enacting—and thus normalizing—extreme sexism and violence as the day-to-day lived experience of a male rap star.

For example, in triple-platinum recording artist Nelly’s notorious 2005 music video for “Tip Drill,” the artist is surrounded by scantily clad women who dance provocatively. The video includes numerous sexually charged images and lewd gestures that many construe as demeaning to women.

Images of extreme violence are just as pervasive as sexism in many rap videos. When young people often model themselves after these images, very real and dangerous consequences can occur. African-American teens ages 12 to 17 listen to more than 18 hours of radio per week on average, compared to 13.5 hours for all teens (Radio Advertising Bureau, 2002). Thirty percent of African-American teens are among the most frequent TV viewers (the top TV-viewing quintile), as opposed to only twenty-one percent of non-African-American teens (Simmons Market Research Bureau Adult Fall 2002 and Teen 2002 National Consumer Surveys).

Viewing violent images repeatedly can have real effects on young people. Escalations in youth violence, gun use and death have marred cities from coast to coast, particularly in poor communities of color. In Newark, Oakland, Detroit, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Atlanta and other urban metropolises, black-on-black crime, particularly among youth, remains very high, while similar statistics for other demographics have fallen. For young people, the experience of violence has become so normalized that going to juvenile detention can be seen a mark of pride. In addition, in many communities, rates of incarceration outnumber rates of college enrollment. Mainstream music lyrics and images reinforce these stereotypes and, many suggest, sell the nation’s youth short.

What can be done to counter these negative representations? One method is to find an alternative to the mainstream. Music created by independent artists and record labels diversify the lyrical content and broaden the terrain of what it means to be male in today’s society. While this alternative rap may not be as widely distributed as major-label rap, innovations in technology have made it increasingly possible for young people to record, produce and distribute their own cultural expressions, redefining what contemporary manhood means.

The Campaign

Outreach for Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides opportunities to strengthen local and national networks, educate the community and increase local capacity to address the needs of young people and their families. Spearheaded by ITVS and Firelight Media, the campaign encourages local organizations and public television stations to work in partnership to develop activities that support the goals in key areas, including:

• Engage young people in reflection, discussion, critical thinking and problem-solving around the causes and effects of sexism, homophobia and violence within hip-hop culture
• Support the work of local organizations that serve youth by providing a media tool along with expert training, resources and connection to their peers
• Generate a national conversation on an increasingly violent, materialistic and sexually explicit American culture using hip-hop as a point of reference
• Provide opportunities to sustain conversations catalyzed by the film and move audiences from dialogue to action on the issues raised in the film
• Drive new, young, diverse viewers, as well as conventional audiences, to the national PBS broadcast and disseminate resources to those target groups
• Emphasize the positive and creative contributions of hip-hop, one of the most pervasive and dynamic global art forms engaging young people worldwide

Resources

Resources provided by ITVS to support local efforts include: national partners and regional organizers; a website with relevant links; print materials such as a fact sheet, discussion guide and planning guide; press releases; flyers and a video module focused on urban men and boys from HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. These resources are available for use in local workshops, screenings, forums and other events.

Masculinity: Men and Boys issue brief (PDF) >>