ns were replaced by messages of drug selling and survival in inner-city neighborhoods. The move of raps' homeland, New York, to the West Coast caused a dramatic change to the sound. People tend to miss the true skill rather that all the violence and how many people that get killed. Rap's image is being tainted by all the scandals of the top rappers shakled in the courtrooms. The inspiration and energy from rap reflects what goes on in the streets and in black life in America (Williams B1+). Maxine Waters also agrees that "gansta rap" is a new art form to describe the pains, fear and frustrations that young people express to adults. She also thinks that just because some people do not like the way the rappers use lyrics should not be a cause for censorship (Congresswomen, Jet 7). A professor of black studies thinks that many rappers have distorted what black life really is and that white record companies are eager to sell black stereotypes. Rappers have distorted and divided black life and tried to incorporate it into street life. Now people are doing what they hear and they want to shoot people and be rich (Marroitt, "Hard-core" A1+). If this is true should not there be a warning label-prohibiting sale to minors? Rap music that pimps pornography and violence to young children and that has messages of violence should have some kind of censorship. Defenders of rap say that censorship is taking their right to free speech stated in The First Amendment. The First Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances"(McNally 29). Censoring music would be taking the right of free speech away. Most of the lyrics are protected by The First Amendment and cannot be censored on the albums or records. Censorship has...
