Police State: Rap Music and the Portrayal of the Police

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

Perceptions of the police is a common topic of research and often focuses on racial differences. In the past, much research has been done on rap music, but the focus has been primarily on violence and self-identity. Few studies have looked at how these lyrics portray the criminal justice system as a whole, but very little have looked specifically at one area of the system. In the current study, a content analysis of rap lyrics from the 1980s to present day was done. A convenience sample was used to select ten songs from each decade for a total of 40 songs. This analysis looked at physical harassment by the police, violence towards the police, police corruption, slang terms for police, as well as other related topics. This research aims to use rap music as a source of information about the perceptions of the police as portrayed in the artists’ lyrics.

Authors

• Kayleigh Stanek, Buena Vista University

• Stephanie Hays, Buena Vista University