What happens when I listen to 50

This week upon listening to various types and genres of rap music made me think long after class finished. We listened to 50, then the Goddess', and clearly the large majority of the class had different reactions. Some of us were offended by 50 cent, some empowered and some pretty indifferent if it wasn't the music we usually have on our MP3s. However, when gay, feminist rap was reviewed there was laughter, and there seemed to be less offence, less empowerment and more indifference throughout the audience. Which made me wonder: does the gender, sexual preference and even "style" of an artist predetermine what we think of them? 50's beats were louder, more powerful and had a more serious tone to me. Was this because he's a well publicized black man? Why when I listened to Goddess' music was I chuckling, and felt that it was more of a joke or planned learning opportunity than really good music? Was it because they were female, or gay, or an underground music type? If we don't have these shared sensibilities with the artist do we automatically distance ourselves from the music, putting ourselves "outside of the ideology" they are presenting? I think to some extent we do. Some people say they don't listen to "emo" music because it sounds like a bunch of teenage boys on the verge of suicide because a girl broke their heart and no one understands them. Would listening to emo music put you under this ideological umbrella, hence giving you subjectivity as a depressed individual, and thus make you sad and suicidal in practice? Probably not, after all its "just music" right? I think where Hooks is going however is taking this idea and putting a positive spin on it (which I enjoyed). By artists encouraging those who have experienced (or hope to experience) what the song is depicting they are definitely raising awareness and raising new connections through their music (whether it be "beneficial" or not). I think in the case of 50 cent he will always be controversial - that's probably the way he likes it. And as for Tap's interpretation of how he was hyperbolizing discourse and throwing it back into white people's faces - truely amazing. I thought the idea was wonderful. But as for my thinking that the Goddess' rap was somewhat of a joke, I think I have to look at why I did that a little more. Whether or not I wanted to seperate myself from their ideology or if I wanted to embrace it but didn't know how is not the issue. I think in "the last instance" we should all just open our eyes to where the artist might have been coming from, and maybe it will broaden our horizons. And like Taps said, we get shown a lot of horrible things in our lives besides from our music. Music is an outlet, both for the artist and the listener, and in my opinion sometimes you need a little angry music once in a while - even if it does give you a mental image of 50 about to "push up on it".