For aspiring music artists, there are now many opportunities to gain exposure and build status through various online platforms, leading to potential industry promotion.
With many rising artists achieving such acclaim, a new controversy has arisen among the general public about provocative music lyrics in mainstream music.
One controversial star of contention is rap artist Sexyy Red.
Advancing in the industry and collaborating with established stars such as Drake and SZA, her music contains words and messages that many consider indecent and obnoxious.
Once an artist develops a mainstream audience, their most prominent singles can be edited for radio but ultimately carry the same essence.
“Personally, I feel uncomfortable when I hear those lyrics. Back when we only had like Eminem or 50 Cent, they have vulgarity, but not to the extent of the lyrics that Sexyy Red has produced. I definitely believe it’s gotten worse,” said second-year Delta student Raul Perez.
Lauren Oaks, a third-year Delta student, also said there was a continual growth in obscene messages.
“I do find it to be a trend. It’s something you see increasingly more, even across different styles of music,” Oaks said.
The consensus among students is that music lyrics within mainstream music are becoming more explicit for the worse.
Many arguments against such genres also stem from the concern about the potential negative influence music can have on the youth.
A viral video made its rounds through social media displaying a group of toddlers dancing and singing to Sexyy Red’s verse in rap artist Drake’s single “Rich Baby Daddy.”
Reactions to the video varied but were hypercritical of the music industry’s current state, deeming it reflective of society’s regression.
Katrina Espinoza, a second-year Delta student, shared her concerns as a parent, agreeing music can have an undesired influence on children.
“All you have to do is listen to the music, and you’ll see that it’s not something that the younger generation should be listening to, but it’s something that the younger generation are listening to,” Espinoza said.
Concerns also revolved around such lyrics pushing the borders of what is considered taboo in society, which can allow lewd conversations to commonality.
However, if we take a different perspective upon a broader horizon, we realize scrutiny against upcoming artists and hostile reception to indecent topics have always existed.
In the late 70s, disco-funk artist Rick James produced music that often conveyed messages of promiscuity and drug use.
In the late 80s, Hip-Hop group N.W.A sparked nationwide outrage for depicting stories of gang violence, narcotic use and sale, and explicit statements against law enforcement.
Since its inception, Rock and Roll has faced continuous obstacles in its reception, often referred to as tasteless for its loud and abrasive nature, with many going as far as to call it the “Devil’s music.”
Opinions did shift a bit after considering this information.
“It’s almost like a double standard, really. If you could listen to the old school, then you could probably listen to that. But I think because it is so vulgar it’s just more attentive to the ears. Music in the 80s was more like you have to put two and two together. These days, it’s like they leave nothing to the imagination or put it all in a four-minute song,” Espinoza said.