|  “Three killed by rampaging teen. Teen blames heavy metal heroes SLAYER for his behavior”
“A 16 year old boy commits a robbery. He was simply doing what a song on the radio told him to do.”
“Two young women are caught stabbing a man to death in Detroit, MI. One of the girls admits that she had thought it would be fun because that is what ‘the rappers’ do”
Is music truly influential on people, young adults especially?
I remember being 15 years old. I liked to skateboard. I’d lay in my bed listening to tapes – Zepplin, The Doors, The Cars, Suicide Machines and The Misfits. Yeah, I caused some trouble in my time…quite a bit might I add, but, I never thought of putting the blame on anything I had listened to.
I come from a very talented family full of musicians. My father is like John Tesh, he can play any instrument. He always taught my siblings and I that music is good and wholesome. Actually, we had two rules at home, the first was we had to go to school and try our best, the second was we had to play an instrument. It could be any instrument we wanted, but we had to play something. My dad would always say, “Sports don’t go year round. I’m not going to have you kids lying around on the couch for three months. You WILL have a hobby.” Looking back, I really respect what he said. Between my brother, my sister and I, we must have cost my parents over $15,000 in instruments! But, not once, did they complain. I stuck to bass guitar. My brother was the one who went crazy – two months of the flute, a year of piano, a few weeks with a violin, and a run-in with a tuba. Then my sister (not to be shown up) decided to try out the obo, harp, electric guitar, keyboard and BAG PIPES.
So, in recent years I found it kind of disturbing to hear that so many murders, rapes, robberies and other crimes were being blamed on music. Music, the same source that had provided me with so much in my life. I’m not trying to act like I don’t listen to rap or heavy metal, as a matter of fact I like rap: Love some Biggie Smalls and Ludacris. I also like Pantera. I just can’t imagine having a long day at work, driving home listening to Trick Daddy, then shooting an elderly lady.
At the same time I am torn and have to go against everything I just said. When I DO have had a long hard day, I like to soak in the bath tub and listen to Mozart. The classical music calms and relaxes me. Other times, maybe on a special occasion I want to put on something sexy, light some candles and wait for my husband to come home from work. I’ll have some soft R&B playing. So music does influence a setting.
BUT, the real question here is – Does music influence teenagers enough to make them commit crimes?
I think Stephen King made a good point on the subject. He wrote a book called “Rage” which was about a Kid who brings a gun to school and shoots a few of his teachers, than takes his class hostage. A few years later a kid in Texas takes a gun to school and starts a massacre, in his locker they found a copy of the novel so naturally they all pointed their fingers at Stephen King. As a result the book was taken out of print (although if you can get your hands on it, it is a pretty good read if you like fiction). So do Stephen king’s novels and Metallica’s albums inspire violence or act as a catalyst? Where do you draw the line? Should schools stop having kids read Edgar Allen Poe (one of my all time favorites!)? He talks about murder in the most gruesome of ways. I haven’t heard a kid say they were influenced by him…
BUT STATISTICS TELL OTHERWISE….
The Ice-T song “Cop Killer” has in its lyrics, “Die, die, die, pig.” This song incited the black society to act against cops. This action opened the door for violence between the Black society and police officials, letting the young people believe that violence is the answer to police brutality used to handle black criminals in their community.
Young people get the message given through music and there is proof that there is some kind of connection between suicide and music. Two fifteen year- old girls left suicide notes quoted lyrics from Pink Floyd’s 1979 album, The Wall. They wrote, “Goodbye cruel world, I’m leaving you now”. “John McCullms’s parents brought a suit against Ozzy Osbourne after their son committed suicide while listening to his song: “Where to hide, suicide is the only way out. Don’t you know what it’s really about” “Suicide Solution”, Ozzy Osbourne. Then, when Dr. Dre released “Forgot About Dre” featuring Eminem graphically describes acts of violence, like “F*ck you too b*tch, call the cops! I’ma kill you and them loud a*s motherfuck*n’ barkin’ dogs” and “Me and Dre stood next to burnt down house. With a can full of gas and a hand full of matches. . .”(Lyrics Style). Suddenly a burst of “music Crimes” exploded. It seemed as if every week Eminem was indirectly causeing a murder. Slim Shadey retaliated back by saying, “I say what I feel, not what I do. You can’t take my music literally. I just talk about cutting my wrists, I don’t actually do it.”
As youth struggles to find role models it seems like the only ones they are influenced by are musicians. Did you know that more teens (ages 12 – 17) know who TuPac is, but the same teen have never heard of Colin Powell?
Should parents step in? Parents have always hated their kids music. My father got yelled at for listening to KISS, I got in trouble for Rancid and my little brother gets yelled at for his selections too.
Many think parents need to take more action. Although music is “rated” and you have to be 17 to buy certain CD’s, this doesn’t stop 10 year olds from getting them. Programs like Napster have made music accessible to all, regardless of age.
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