Tupac Shakur and His Influence on Crime

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Tupac Shakur and His Influence on Crime Tiffany N. Shatto Louisiana State University Shreveport Sociology 320 Fall 2012 November 28, 2012 Cathy Scott, an award winning journalist goes behind the scenes to give readers an inside look at the September 6, 1996 shooting of the internationally famous rapper Tupac Shakur, in her book The Killing of Tupac Shakur. Tupac was a self proclaimed outlaw whose lyrics have been considered counterproductive and influences the violent lifestyle and survival ethic amongst Black youth and young adults. Observational learning by children and adolescents does not only limit itself to the home environment and surrounding community, but also extends to media and social icons. Rap music has grown at a staggering rate over the past thirty years and has greatly influenced social and cultural norms. The violent and often degrading lyrics of gangster rap have now become main-stream and is highly romanticized by young black and white youths, alike. To be able to analyze the death of Tupac Shakur, it is also important to address rap music and its influence on America’s culture. Hip Hop has become a multi-billion dollar industry that has come to dominate television, film and fashion, as well as radio. Many inner-city and urban residents are drawn to hip hop and are distrustful of many institutions, therefore, they look elsewhere for guidance and knowledge. This all too often comes in the form of rap idols and gangs. The message of most rap lyrics, specifically gangster rap, is reflective of the hopelessness that pervades the black and urban community, and justifies an outlaw lifestyle. The Observational Learning Theory directly ties to the influence of rap and media since it emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes and reactions of others. These observations then become a way of learning

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