When I first saw the movie Boyz N the Hood with friends, the message "Increase the Peace" that appeared on the screen at the end of the movie caused my friends to erupt in laughter due to their belief that a movie that contained such violence should not display such a message. I wanted to say something, but second thoughts forced me to bite my lip and bear it. The message I would have conveyed had I mustered the nerve was the fact that the violence displayed in the movie was used by writer and director John Singleton to strengthen his message. The same applies to particular gangsta rap artists, and the sooner this is realized, the sooner gangsta rap will be accepted, and people will work harder to improve it.

It is hard to put everything I felt about the subject into one small article, but I will attempt to do so with the hope that people will respond in order for me to clarify confusing points.

As a strong listener to various types of music, I have seen particular forms evolve considerably over the years. Gangsta rap, I believe, is at a particular evolutionary stage. In the past there were groups such as N.W.A. promoting sex with tons of women and murdering anyone who looks at you the wrong way. Now there are artists such as 2Pac stressing black unity and family within a crazy world. Problems still exist in terms of ghetto life over the years. So the only way that the general public will understand gangsta rap messages is to portray a picture of their experiences and stating the negativity of this portrayal. The use of violence in gangsta rap catches the attention of the listening audience and forces the people to think about life beyond their own neighborhoods. Today the majority of gangsta rappers do it not as a means of increasing gun sales but as a means of realism that needs to be recognized.

Do not get me wrong. There are still a number of things in gangsta rap that do not need to be glamorized. Puffing blunts, drinking 40s, and using women as objects are definitely negative stereotypes exonerated by gangsta rappers which require intervention. However, I have noticed that it has downscaled over the years. Believe me, I have seen videos on BET (Black Entertainment Television) with ridiculous dupes of popular rappers desperately trying to return to the "old days" of gangsta rap that will not see significant record sales today.

I found the Jan. 11 article by Prince Corin Thomas to be one of the most profound of all articles I have read, and I agree with a lot of what he says. However, I think that the idea of totally removing gangsta rap is not the best way to approach the problem. The reason is that by getting rid of gangsta rap, a voice of a nation, a voice that cries help, is eliminated. I suggest to citizens that are not easily influenced by violence in rap to listen to the singles released from albums as well as interviews from various artists and boycott the albums and artists that glamorize violence and sexism rather than stressing the negativity of these problems. In concurrence with Mr. Thomas' ideas, citizens should have more of a positive influence on the youth to deter dependence on gangsta rap, and gangsta rappers should work to convey more positive messages in their music.

Public Enemy is my favorite group of all time, and this group is completely against gangsta rap, racism, sexism, drugs and alcohol. However, Chuck D (leader of PE) has expressed in his lyrics and various interviews that a rap artist must stay true to one's self and one's roots to remain believable to one's audience, in order to get a message across, and in order for rap to remain credible. Many gangsta rappers such as Ice Cube, Ice-T, Warren G. and Scarface have done well in this category. Therefore, rather than condemning gangsta rap altogether, it would be better for us as music listeners to help it evolve into a more acceptable form without removing its roots.