[JoMar]

And then there are those like Will Smith, Ice T (Law and Order SUV), Vanilla Ice (DIY Network), Snoop Dog (venture capitalist) , LL Cool J (CSI Los Angeles), and P Diddy, Pharrell Williams, Will i am and others who made their start in rap and have built careers in other fields. Rappers send a message, as did Heavy Metal music, and folk music (to go the other extreme). Music is cultural, emotional, and can impact the moods of the individual and a society. My parents generation was scared to death of what Rock and Roll would do to us, mostly because they didn't understand it. There were some bad rock and roll influences (sex and drugs) but for the most part we got through it. There are some bad rap influences but hopefully that generation will get through it also.