Hyper-Masculinity Of Hip-Hop

I can see with 2Pac how he gave off this hard core image just because if his background and where he came from.  The same goes for the other hip hop artist of today they give off this image like I’m so hard core and come from the hood. They make it seem like they are in these dangerous gangs. In reality they really aren’t involved with any of it. Yes most of them did come from hard neighborhoods but what they won’t reveal is that they are actually educated and know how to act. They just sell their music on their image of being hard cored, gangster, and hood.  The thing with that image is that it allows for young intercity teens to think that it’s ok to portray this image, that these young people think I have to be hard and bad ass to show how manly they are. Then with the image comes the thought if I act thug I could get all the girls and have the best reputation. So they give into that type of life style and before you know it these young kids are joining gangs. Once they join these gangs they are considered family and are accepted in that family. When in all reality the reason they joined that gang in the first place is to find a father like figure or a place to feel like they are one and accepted for who they are. Most of these young kids do grow up in broken homes and without a father so they look up to the old people who are mixed up in the wrong crowd and the gang life style. Mostly because of the hip hop artist who give off this hyper masculine image and life style.

It doesn’t only affect the intercity teens it braches out to other places as well. Like in the suburbs when I grew up there would be white kids who would act like they were thug and hard core when they grew up in the nicest houses in our town. I think hip hop masculinity affect s suburban teen as a way to escape how they were brought up and want to be like that thug kid that came from a broken home. I think they just want a taste of that life  and want to feel like they are from that type of background.