Abstract: |
Music has always been a significant aspect of youth culture, shaping their identities, influencing their emotions, and often times. The Hip hop culture has become one of the dominant cultures of today’s youth as seen in their affecting their behaviours language, clothing, and lifestyle. The Nigerian youth has not been left out as observations reveal large infiltration of same especially with growing concerns in violence and vices. This study is focused on examining the influence of hip hop music on the behavioural patterns of select students in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria in order to conceptualise and represent same for the entire nation. The study is quantitative, and the survey method was used with questionnaires as instruments for data collection distributed to 300 respondents randomly selected across the University of Ibadan and Koladaisi University, Ibadan. The analysis and interpretation of data was done using simple frequency and percentage method. Results from this study establishes that Nigerian youth majorly access hip hop music via hand held devices through the internet, the music triggers the use of guns, drugs, vulgar language, assault, etc among the youth as well as a portray of the immoral acts of the music lyrics. The research concludes that hip hop music has pervaded the minds of youths with increase in the desire to engage in illicit behavior with the opposite sex, imitation of some characteristics in relating with other people which is at variance with acceptable moral value of youths. The study recommends strict governmental laws to control the streaming of hip hop music with violent and sexual contents in order to reduce and forestall the rate of the negative influence of hip hop music on youth behavior while still encouraging creativity and artistic expressions.
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