Nation's Political Establishment

Even the nation's political establishment began to respond to the outrage felt by some Americans regarding the perceived violence of much contemporary music. Lawmakers considered rap, along with heavy-metal rock music, to be a likely factor in antisocial behavior in U.S. children and teens. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D, Conn.) went so far as to publicly discuss the possibility of censoring violent lyrics in commercial music.

In November 1997, Congress held hearings to explore the impact of violent or sexual content in music videos and songs on American youth. Dr. Frank Palumbo, representing the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), testified before the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs subcommittee on oversight of government management, restructuring, and the District of Columbia. The AAP had released public statements to the media in 1989 and 1995 expressing concern about children's exposure to negativity in the media, whether it be on television, on the radio or in recordings.

"To date, no studies have documented a cause-and-effect relationship between sexually explicit or violent lyrics and adverse behavioral effects" in children and teenagers, Palumbo said. "Yet there is some music that communicates potentially harmful health messages, especially when it reaches a vulnerable audience."

Though no conclusive findings were presented during Palumbo's testimony, many adults already appeared convinced that hip-hop music was having a corrosive effect on the country. A 1999 poll, for example, found that 53% of Americans thought that rap had a negative influence on society. (In comparison, a 2002 poll conducted by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal found that 34% of Americans thought that rock and roll has had a negative impact on American culture.)

Also during the late 1990s, Eminem (born Marshall Mathers), a white rapper from Michigan, emerged on the national hip-hop scene, quickly selling millions of albums. His lyrics, which were often filled with references to violence, drugs and sex, were appealing to his core fan base of white, suburban youths. However, a diverse coalition of critics quickly formed to rally against him. Parents, teachers, conservative-minded public policy organizations and gay-rights advocacy groups all publicly denounced Eminem, claiming that he openly promoted antisocial behavior, violence and intolerance for homosexuals.

Indeed, the outcry against Eminem--the latest in a slew of offensive, financially successful rappers, in the eyes of hip- hop's critics--did have some impact. In 2001, for example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) levied a $7,000 fine against a radio station in Colorado for playing a popular song by the artist. And during the 2000-01 academic year, a sixth-grade teacher in Iowa ended up in trouble after allowing some of her students to conduct a research project on Eminem. Some parents complained, alleging that