The main focus of censorship supporters is to make our environment safer and protect our youth from temptation. Conversely, these supporters cannot guarantee that ridding the world of these lyrics will, in turn, rid the world of the temptation to deviate from the social expectations. They argue that these words make such a huge difference on the attitude of the audience.
Music like heavy metal and hip-hop have fought an up-hill battle recently attempting to express their emotion and produce their art freely while proceeding with the new and improved “politically correct” guidelines. However, isn’t it hypocritical to hold the standards for music so high when other forms of culture in America are sending similar if not worse messages? 1976’s academy award nominated movie Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro, was reported to inspire such violent acts as the Montreal Dawson College shooting.(Plunkett AA08) Nevertheless, you can still find Taxi Driver at your local blockbuster, hassle-free. Jesse Plunkett, journalist for the Toronto Star, explains, “The novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov depicts a middle-aged man
obsessed with a preteen girl. Not only are this character's actions considered taboo in Western culture, they are also illegal”. Yet no words were ever outlawed or banned throughout the course of this book. An obvious double standard exists here. Movies and novels receive a pass from Tipper Gore and the rest of the founding fathers of the censorship frontier.
On May 13, 1985, Tipper Gore collaborated with free-lance journalist Kandy Stroud, Susan Baker, wife of former Treasury Secretary and White House Chief of Staff James Baker, wife of a wealthy construction executive, Pam Howar, Sally Nevius, wife of former Washington D.C. council chairman John Nevius, and Ethelynn Stuckley, wife of former Congressman Williamson Stuckley to form the non-profit, tax-exempt organization Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) under the presidency of Pamela Howar.( Mathieu Deflem) Since then, they have raised money and began sending over 800 letters to radio and television stations warning to be on the lookout for pornographic material. The letters consists of demands for a rating system for music like movies and that provocative lyrics or album artworks be sold under the counter.
There was a Senate Hearing on record labeling, held on September 19, 1985. Many PMRC representatives took the witness stand mentioning the vulgarity of the lyrics the youth of America is listening to. The focus of the entire case for PMRC was teenage pregnancies, teenage suicide rates, and rape. According to Tipper, teen pregnancy is a result of our young Americans being exposed to provocative music. It is silly to think that we can abolish teen pregnancy by eliminating the chorus to “Promiscuous Girl” or dispel any fears of teen suicide by choosing to censor the latest Korn single.
Gore testified at this hearing that they were no longer interested in forming a rating system to avoid becoming involved with any form of federal legislature. She instead proposed that record companies voluntarily label their products based on a one-time panel. She stressed that "voluntary labeling is not censorship". Musicians were given a chance to state their case. Frank Zappa, first musician testimony, was opposed to the demands of the PMRC describing the requests as “treating dandruff by decapitation”. He felt like self-restraint was opening the floodgates to a society where programs based on what some Christians liked dictated the music industry. The next testimony came from musician John Denver. He expressed his recent encounter with censorship. He wrote a song entitled “Rocky Mountain High” which was banned from multiple radio stations for its alleged reference to drugs. He explained that anyone who could interpret the song with a reference to drugs has never been to the Rocky Mountains before. When asked about the idea of restraints from radio stations, he compared the U.S. to Nazi Germany. The last testimony came from lead singer of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, Dee Snider. He claimed that all of the Twisted Sister songs in question by PMRC were misinterpreted or taken out of content. Furthermore, he believed that it is the parent’s job to take full responsibility for the upbringing of their child. In my opinion, a song should not have more impact on a child’s life than their parents.
As a result of this hearing, record companies began printing labels that said “Parental Advisory” or “Parental Guidance-Explicit Lyrics”. This label can still be found on the cases of uncensored albums today. This served as a temporary solution to the censorship bout. However, a recent uproar due to comments from Don Imus about Rutgers women’s basketball team has
caused censorship to attack our radio stations with full force. Don Imus, a radio and television personality, made a radical comment referring to the Lady Scarlet Knights as “nappy headed hoes”. When confronted about his comment, he turned the attention to hip-hop music claiming that rappers say degrading things about women all the time.
Since this incident, censors have doubled the effort put to “protecting the children” from this so-called vulgar music. The quality of all music is suffering due to the high expectations from the censors. As Frank Zappa had predicted, the floodgates are now opened. It is irrational to believe that the answer to the increasing numbers in crime and violence is to bleep out every excerpt or reference to gang affiliated actions. Perhaps we could also expel poverty by putting a smiley face mask on every homeless person in America.
Artistic views have been compromised. Nowadays, musicians must bite their tongues to appeal to the main stream media in fear that they may even lose their contract if they are not media friendly. We are left to reap the detriment of the censors recent zero tolerance theme.
The biggest issue with music and the reason why some believe it should be censored is the effect it has on the growing generations to come. Censors believe that music has a powerful influence on the deviant acts that occur among the youth. Many blame hip-hop and its lyrics for the increase of drug use in young Americans. This evoked one question and one question only: When will parents stop blaming music, television, and video games and start taking responsibility for the actions of their children? No one is forced to listen to the “so-called” offensive lyrics hip-hop may have to offer. If you don’t like the lyrics it is as simple as pressing
fast forward or changing the radio station. It is unfair that the rap community does not obligate you to listen to the songs that are produced yet those that don’t approve force everyone else to settle for the watered down censored version.
Oprah Winfrey dedicated a two-show special to discuss her problems with hip-hop. Russell Simmons appeared on the show and vowed to take action discussing the views on the three epithets hip-hop could do without: bitch, hoe, and the dreaded n-word. On “Oprah,” Diane Weathers, the former editor in chief of Essence magazine, said, “I think Snoop should lose his contract — I don’t think he should be on the Jay Leno show.” (Kelefa) This struck me as a little two-faced. Rappers do the exact same thing that Oprah made a career out of: talking about private things (sometimes offensive things) in public.
Rapper Jim Jones in an interview with MTV News explained that he felt like he was nothing more than a news anchor for his street. Just like the FOX 5 news cast, his job is to report what he has witnessed and experienced on the scene and to keep his story most consistent with the truth.
Many people overlook the fact that hip-hop consist of the four elements DJing, break dancing, graffiti, and the topic at hand, MCing (more commonly known as rapping). All four elements are forms of expression. Hip-hop is instead known for its loose boundaries and controversial, crude content. These four elements will remain in the depths of rap music until censorship ceases.
America has placed a guise on the problems in our country by censoring lyrics in hip hop and alternative rock music. Record companies have convinced us that bleeping some select words will solve all of our problems as a society. Rap music is more clean-cut than ever. Although some offensive language is still used, the rap world is not nearly as savage as it was even just one decade ago. Chart topping songs like “Whatever You Like” by T.I. are harmless club bangers that induce dancing and playful fun.
In times of a recession, there are far greater things to worry about instead of questionably interpreted lyrics. Perhaps less censorship could benefit the economy. Time Warner, big-time production company, abandoned a $100 million stake in interscope records, the label which hosts artist such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Nine Inch Nails, and Tupac Shakur. (Dean) This was a result of long time protests of the artists previously mentioned and their explicit lyrics. As a result of Time Warner’s decision to abort the label, jobs were cut and salaries were decreased as an effort to stay afloat. Many artist fled to other labels and Interscope saw a tank in sales that they almost didn’t survive. Jobs were lost. Artist’s images were tainted. Fans were sacraficed. So ask yourself: is it really worth driving dozens of workers to unemployment in hopes that things will improve now that the word “pot” or “booty” is excluded from your son or daughter’s favorite song.
Censorship is not only a poor method of trying to solve problems, but also unconstitutional. Our first amendment right ensures that all Americans have the right to freedom of speech among other things. If we do not respect our own rights, what message are we sending to the very people we are trying so hard to protect? Nevertheless, censorship is not an issue of freedom of speech. It is simply a matter of the problematic position our performers have been put into. When we censor, we send a message to all that the words removed are wrong or imply a wrong action. This is exactly the boundary that rappers get paid to explore. What may seem controversial or offensive to us is exactly what makes them their fortune.
If America continues to let censorship spread like wild-fire, it is only a matter of time before censors are dictating what we eat, read, and soon enough our life as a whole. Many times, lyrics are misinterpreted and, because of the ignorance of censors, they are removed from the airwaves. Neither the fans nor the artist get any say in what words or phrases are considered offensive. Instead, critics are given complete control in what words they choose to censor.
Our country was founded on morals and principles. Our founding fathers designed this nation in such a way that everyone’s opinion matters and no voice are left unheard. We have been inconsistent with these themes our culture was built upon. The land of the free has become far from free. What type of society have we become where our most passionate activist are muted because of the controversial thoughts it provokes? Aren’t we encouraged to think outside of the norm and dare to dream? By censoring music, we are limiting the creativity of our future generations and forcing our youngest to conform to a cookie cutter society. We are sending the wrong message to our adolescents.
We can’t expect to make progress until we realize that censorship isn’t the answer. If parents like Tipper Gore put a little less effort in trying to censor the world and a little more effort in taking an interest in what their kids listen to and how they interpret the music, there would be no need for censors. According to a researcher at Kansas State University, youths are most influenced by negative family members and by positive adults outside the family. Parents should pay more attention to the company their child is receiving instead of what song’s they like to sing during lunchtime. Peers and parents are the two most influential parties in a person’s life.
Works Cited
"Children Are Influenced by T.V.." 123HelpMe.com. 21 Apr 2009
Dean, Eddie. "Dirty War." The ROC magazine. 25 Mar. 2009 http://www.theroc.org/roc-mag/textarch/roc-20/roc20-02.htm.
Kansas State University. "Youths Are Most Influenced By Negative Family Members And By Positive Adults Outside The Family." ScienceDaily 26 February 2009. 21 April 2009 http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/02/090226110653.htm.
Mount, Steve. "The United States Constitution - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net." Index Page - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net. 1995. 20 Apr. 2009 http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1.
Plunkett, Jesse. "Double standard in war on hip hop." Toronto Star 4 June 2007: AA08. TOPICsearch. EBSCOhost. Mary F. Shipper Library, Potomac State College. 25 Mar. 2009
Sanneh, Kelefa. "Don't Blame Hip-Hop." New York Times 25 Apr. 2007. 25 Mar. 2009
Terhune, David. "Can hip-hop community police itself?" USA Today 1 May 2007 [Brooklyn, NY] : 10a. TOPICsearch. EBSCOhost. Mary F. Shipper Library, Potomac State College. 25 Mar. 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tth&AN=J0E038014582907&site=ehost-live.
Walsh, Jim. Censorship in music? My, what a wonderful idea! 29 Dec. 2000. Points of View Reference Center. EBSCOhost. Mary F. Shipper Library, Potomac State College. 25 Mar. 2009
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