Should Rappers Speak Out Against Netbanging?

Without question, our rap stars have the ears of our children. Let a hot new song hit the air and kids will know the lyrics within minutes. There is a fondness that many American children have for our musical poets. Even young adults find themselves bobbing their heads to a booming track riding underneath a flurry of rhymes. There is no doubt that hip hop has tremendous impact on America’s youth.

But should our rappers’ influence be a platform to promote gang related activity? To push the issue further, should our rappers endorse gangs who recruit young kids on the Internet? Face it; kids spend just as much time on the Internet as they do learning new lyrics. This is a difficult scenario, considering that some rappers are gang members themselves.  And with the influence of hip hop music coupled with the influence of social networks, kids are flooded with a deluge of suggestions.

So, the question looms. Should rappers use their influence to steer kids into a more constructive path by speaking out against netbanging? Or should they just let well enough alone? Keep in mind that it’s the welfare of our kids at stake