Rap music has come to be one of the most popular, yet controversial, music genres
             of the past decade. While the music provides a voice to the voiceless and a form of
             protest to the oppressed, much of it seems to articulate the rage of the urban underclass
             and its sense of intense oppression and defiant rebellion. Rap, then, is not only music to
             dance and party to, but is also a potent form of cultural identity and political expression.
             Unfortunately, rap songs are usually accompanied by use of explicit and degrading lyrics,
             which are very dangerous to the youth of today. While rappers will claim that they're
             simply rapping about reality, all too often they use violence as the vehicle to tell the story
             of their lives. This certainly does not set any good examples for the young boys and girls,
             and men and women, listening to and singing along with the lyrics. In fact, most of the
             rap artists themselves have lived, and continue to live, close to the edge. So, with rap
             songs containing violent and insulting lyrics, and with the rap artists leading dangerous and
             violent lives, rap music could be considered a negative influence on teenagers and
             Rap is currently crossing national borders of the world and has become a key
             component of global culture. Its migration results in youngsters of all races, creeds,
             religions, social and economic classes, being exposed to and influenced by it. Therefore,
             rap is now part of the multicultural world with no borders or limits, and the
             lyrics/messages are being delivered to everyone, everywhere. Teenagers seem to be the
             group of individuals who listen most to rap music. Some have argued that the messages in
             the lyrics result in teenagers taking part in anti-social activity. "If this were true, there
             would be just as much white-on-white violence as there is black-on-black violence,
             because white teenagers and children listen to rap also"...