Does The Penalty Match The Crime?

Rappers who have been able to escape poverty and urban lifestyle are looked at by adolescents as role models. The messages rap feeds to young listeners is not always positive, but the youth abide being oblivious to rap’s misogynist ideals.

At first, there was little to no options for women to voice their opinions on the verbal assault men found socially acceptable. Women in hip-hop have suffered verbal and physical abuse caused by the effect violent messages rap music contains as well as their resistance to it.

Hip-hop enthusiasts may deny the theory that violent lyrics leading to violent actions, but there’s a flaw in their belief. According to Cliffton Bryant’s “Sexual Deviancy and Social Proscription,” language, or lyrics, is considered a behavior. Rappers such as Dr. Dre, Tone Loc, Chris Brown and Big Lurch have all committed acts of violence towards woman solidifying their “gangster” image.

After a sit down with Fox TV host Denise Barnes, Dre was put on trial for allegedly assaulting her while the rest of the members of his group, N.W.A., watched and libeled her. Barnes also filed a restraining order against Dre who wasn’t a stranger to the inside of a court room.

Barnes’ $20-million lawsuit resulted with Dre pleading “no contest,” a $2,500 fine, 240 hours of community service, and a court-ordered anti-violence public service TV announcement.

A “no contest” plea clears the defendant’s current crime from being brought up in future cases.

A rapper who also pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge was Tone Loc.

Loc allegedly assaulted his wife resulting in a day in county jail, three years of probation, 52 weeks of anger management counseling, and 30 days of community service.

R&B singer Chris Brown was charged with assaulting female recording artist Rihanna for beating, choking, and biting her during an altercation. He pleaded guilty in his preliminary hearing to avoid further damages.

Brown was ordered five years of probation and six months of community service. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg issued a stay-away order, without Rihanna’s request, requiring Brown and Rihanna to keep 50 yards away from each other at all times.

A year later, Rihanna took to the microphone expressing her feelings on the assault on Eminem’s song “I Love The Way You Lie.”

Rihanna’s lyrics stressed the confusion and hurt Brown’s assault had caused her.

“Just going to stand there and watch me burn
That's all right because I like the way it hurts
Just going to stand there and hear me cry?
Well that's all right because I love the way you lie”

The last and worst case of violence against women involved excessive drug use resulting in murder.  Texas rapper Big Lurch entered a state of cannibalism after a five-day PCP binge which sparked him to viciously mutilate his 21 year-old roommate, Tynisha Ysais.

Ysais, a mother of two, had her chest cut open as Lurch then proceeded to chew on her flesh. Lurch was found walking the streets covered in blood mumbling and chewing his victim’s lung.

Lurch’s lawyer, Milton Grimes, convinced the jury of Lurch’s insanity and avoided him being sentenced with the death penalty.

Deputy District Attorney Drew Josfan discarded Grimes’ argument based on a law that prohibited the use of insanity in murder trials if the defendant suffered from drug addiction or drug use.

Big Lurch was charged with first-degree murder and is currently serving out his life sentence without the possibility of parole.