Rap Music

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PeteZaHut

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What is the morality of purchasing something that is not inherently evil like rap music? Is it okay to contribute money as long as it doesn’t lead you to sin? Or is rap music inherently evil because of the effect the industry has on people?
 
PeteZaHut said:
What is the morality of purchasing something that is not inherently evil like rap music? Is it okay to contribute money as long as it doesn’t lead you to sin? Or is rap music inherently evil because of the effect the industry has on people?
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Rap music is a funny thing… It didn’t used to be the way it is now… Grand Puba, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Run DMC, Heavy D, Eric B and Rakim, Pete Rock, De La Soul…

Yeah, those guys wrote songs about… well, mostly partying. Yeah, there’s a bit of a sexual tone to some of their songs… but it’s mostly about being happy and goofing around, so I don’t see a problem with listening to it (as evidenced by their existence in my music collection).

I DO, however, have a problem with putting money in the pockets of rappers like 50 Cent and Lil Wayne… because it seems as if the ultimate goal of THEIR music is to get more confused young men killed.

I say use your discretion, and judge each on a case by case basis for the music they make.
 
PeteZaHut said:
What is the morality of purchasing something that is not inherently evil like rap music? Is it okay to contribute money as long as it doesn’t lead you to sin? Or is rap music inherently evil because of the effect the industry has on people?
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If you like rap music, check out KJ-52.
 
are there ways like buying on ebay or amazon that possibly wouldn’t get the money to the rappers?
 
Hmm…I don’t think you can put rap music into one lump and fear the morality of it. It all depends on what album/artist you’re purchasing. I’m not a fan of rap music, but I have about 4 or 5 rap songs on my iPod, that aren’t profane or sexual. I got them from iTunes, which I think might be a good way to go because it’s showing the same of one particular song, which isn’t dirty. Amazon is another good way to go
 
PeteZaHut said:
are there ways like buying on ebay or amazon that possibly wouldn’t get the money to the rappers?
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Are you asking is there a way to steal from the artist by giving money to the thief to ease your conscious about stealing?

Would you steal from the John Lennon estate because Imagine is such a pretty song but you don’t like its message?
 
4Squarebaby said:
Are you asking is there a way to steal from the artist by giving money to the thief to ease your conscious about stealing?

Would you steal from the John Lennon estate because Imagine is such a pretty song but you don’t like its message?
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Buying a used CD != stealing, or even piracy (if you’re somebody who differentiates between the two).
 
logic_oriented said:
Buying a used CD != stealing, or even piracy (if you’re somebody who differentiates between the two).
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It’s one thing to buy used because you don’t think an item is worth the full new price or the company no longer prints/produces it. It is another step to buy used just to keep the money away from the artist. If you think the artist shouldn’t get the money doesn’t it follow that it is something you should not be listening to in the first place?
 
4Squarebaby said:
Are you asking is there a way to steal from the artist by giving money to the thief to ease your conscious about stealing?

Would you steal from the John Lennon estate because Imagine is such a pretty song but you don’t like its message?
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I wasn’t suggesting stealing. Is buying a used CD illegal? You can buy used CD’s off Amazon, right? I can’t imagine they would just let people do that illegally.
 
PeteZaHut said:
I wasn’t suggesting stealing. Is buying a used CD illegal? You can buy used CD’s off Amazon, right? I can’t imagine they would just let people do that illegally.
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Used CD’s are fine.

Downloading illegally or stealing stuff is clearly wrong.

As for the rap music question, setting aside my own personal distaste for modern rap, contributing to some rappers would be fine, but others might be in the gray. I think Eminem is repulsive and I would never listen or buy that rubbish, but I can’t go so far as saying it’s immoral to buy it…gray area though…
 
Rascalking said:
Used CD’s are fine.

Downloading illegally or stealing stuff is clearly wrong.

As for the rap music question, setting aside my own personal distaste for modern rap, contributing to some rappers would be fine, but others might be in the gray. I think Eminem is repulsive and I would never listen or buy that rubbish, but I can’t go so far as saying it’s immoral to buy it…gray area though…
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That’s just the thing. What Eminem says in his songs is horrible. But I enjoy listening to it because the flow of his words are just incredible. To me, he could be saying anything. I’m not listening to his message. I’m listening to the music as a whole.
 
Well if you’re listening to stuff about fornicating or adultery, etc, probably not a good idea to buy it and listen to it because it might affect you subconsciously. But just with regards to Eminem, not all of his music is bad. Consider tracks like: “Loose Yourself”, “Till I Collapse” or “Sing for the moment”.

The general theme involved in all 3 of those tracks is ambition, motivation and trying your best to achieve your fullest potential. Basically, using the gifts that god has given you to achieve the best result of success. Naturally you could take that too far, but I like those 3 tracks in particular because I want to be successful; send my kids to a catholic school, own my own house, etc. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to go to church, worship god, etc.

Of course you can then look at tracks like ‘Superman’ which is full of junk. So he has material of variable quality in my opinion.

But yeah, getting back onto the original topic of morality, you could purchase individual tracks from iTunes, etc (not whole albums) that way you’re only buying tracks that contain messages that you want to hear.
 
Rascalking said:
I think Eminem is repulsive and I would never listen or buy that rubbish, but I can’t go so far as saying it’s immoral to buy it…gray area though…
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PeteZaHut said:
That’s just the thing. What Eminem says in his songs is horrible. But I enjoy listening to it because the flow of his words are just incredible. To me, he could be saying anything. I’m not listening to his message. I’m listening to the music as a whole.
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Anonymous1990 said:
But just with regards to Eminem, not all of his music is bad. Consider tracks like: “Loose Yourself”, “Till I Collapse” or “Sing for the moment”.

The general theme involved in all 3 of those tracks is ambition, motivation and trying your best to achieve your fullest potential. Basically, using the gifts that god has given you to achieve the best result of success. Naturally you could take that too far, but I like those 3 tracks in particular because I want to be successful; send my kids to a catholic school, own my own house, etc. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to go to church, worship god, etc.

Of course you can then look at tracks like ‘Superman’ which is full of junk. So he has material of variable quality in my opinion.
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Check out this song “Dear Slim” by KJ52

Then this one “Dear Slim Pt. 2” by KJ52
 
PeteZaHut said:
That’s just the thing. What Eminem says in his songs is horrible. But I enjoy listening to it because the flow of his words are just incredible. To me, he could be saying anything. I’m not listening to his message. I’m listening to the music as a whole.
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Like I said, it’s a free country. Do what you want.

But be careful. Listening to that stuff all the time may not be healthy.

Something to remember-just because we don’t like it doesn’t make it morally offensive.
 
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