Skip to main content
Log in

Rap Music Genres and Deviant Behaviors in French-Canadian Adolescents

  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigated the links between the preference for 4 rap music genres (American rap, French rap, hip hop/soul, and gangsta/hardcore rap) and 5 types of deviant behaviors in adolescence (violence, theft, street gangs, mild drug use, and hard drug use). The effects of peers' deviancy, violent media, and importance given to lyrics were statistically controlled. A self-report questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 348 bilingual French-Canadian adolescents (age: M = 15.32; SD = 0.9; 185 girls and 163 boys). Results indicated that rap music as a whole was linked to deviant behaviors, however the nature of the relation differed according to genres. Preference for French rap had the strongest links to deviant behaviors, whereas preference for hip hop/soul was linked to less deviant behaviors. Results are discussed within the psychosocial and sociocognitive perspectives on music influence in adolescence and also within the perspective of normative deviant behaviors in adolescence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2000). The influence of music and music videos. “Facts for families”. AACP Publ. Catalogue 40: 1-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (1996). Impact of music lyrics and videos on children and youth (RE9648). Committee on Communications. Pediatrics 98(6): 1219-1221.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (2001). American Academy of Pediatrics: Children, adolescents and television. Pediatrics 107(2): 423-426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnett, J. (1995). Adolescents uses of media for self-socialization. J. Youth Adolesc. 24(5): 519-533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barongan, C., and Hall, G. C. N. (1995). The influence of misogynous rap music on sexual aggression against women. Psychol Women Q 19(2): 195-207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Besson, M., Faï;ta, F., Peretz, I., Bonnel, A.-M., and Requin, J. (1998). Singing in the brain: Independence of lyrics and tunes. Psychol. Sci. 9(6): 494-498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Béthune, C. (1999). Le rap: une esthétique hors la loi [Rap an Outlawed Aestheticism]. Autrement, Paris.

  • Boucher, M. (1999). Rap, expression des lascars: significations et enjeux du rap dans la société française [Rap, Expression of the Rogues: Rap's Significations and Issues in French Society]. Harmattan, Paris.

  • Brown, J. D., Steele, J. R., and Walsh-Childers, K. (2002). Introduction and overview. In Brown, J. D., Steele, J. R., and Walsh-Childers, K. (eds.), Sexual Teens, Sexual Media: Investigating Media's Influence on Adolescent Sexuality. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp. 1-24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychol. Bull. 112(1): 155-159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1994). The earth is round (p <.05). Am. Psychol. 49: 997-1003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., and Loeber, R., (1985). Adolescent marijuana and alcohol use: The role of parents and peers revisited. Am. J. Drug Alcohol Abuse (11): 11-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, D. S., and Menard, S. (1996). Delinquent friends and delinquent behavior: Temporal and development patterns. In Hawkins, J. D. (eds.), Delinquency and Crime: Current Theories. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 28-67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falk, R., and Greenbaum, C. W. (1995). Significance tests die hard: The amazing persistence of a probabilistic misconception. Theor. Psychol. 5: 75-98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Favreau, O. E. (1997). Sex and gender comparisons: Does null hypothesis testing create a false dichotomy? Feminism Psychol 7(1): 63-81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald, M. A., Joseph, A. P., Hayes, M., and O'Regan, M. (1995). Leisure activities of adolescent children. J. Adolesc. (18): 349-58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fréchette, M., and Le Blanc, M. (1987). Délinquances et délinquants [Delinquency and Delinquents]. Gaëtan Morin, Boucherville, Québec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gan, S.-L., Zillmann, D., and Mitrook, M. (1997). Stereotyping effect of Black women's sexual rap on White audiences. Basic Appl. Soc Psychol. 19(3): 381-399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardstrom, S. C. (1999). Music exposure and criminal behavior: Perceptions of juvenile offenders. J. Music Ther. 36(3): 207-221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamel, S., Fredette, C., Blais, M.-F., Hébert, J., Savoie,.G. J., and Bertôt, J. (1999). Jeunesse et gangs de rue: principaux constats venant de la recension des écrits et de la recherche terrain [Youth and street gangs: principal findings from the literature and the field.] Défijeunesse. 5(2): 3-12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, C. H. (1995). Predicting cognitive and behavioral effects of gangsta rap. Basic Appl. Soc. Psychol. 16(1/2): 43-52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, E. B., and Breivik, G. (2001). Sensation seeking as a predictor of positive and negative risk behaviour among adolescents. Pers. Indiv. Diff. 30(4): 627-640.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, J., and North, A. C. (1997). The social psychology of music. In Hargreaves, J., and North, A. C. (eds.), The Social Psychology of Music. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 1-21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huesmann, L. R., Moise, J. F., Podolski, C. L., (1997). The Effects of Media Violence on the Development of Antisocial Behavior. In Stoff, D. M., Breiling, J., and Maser, J. D. (eds.), Handbook of Antisocial Behavior. Wiley, New York, pp. 181-193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. D., Jackson, L. A., and Gatto, L. (1995b). Violent attitudes and deferred academic aspirations: Deleterious effects of exposure to rap music. Basic Appl. Soc. Psychol. 16(1/2): 27-41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. D., Adams, M. S., Ashburn, L., and Reed, W. (1995a). Differential gender effects pf exposure to rap music on African American adolescents' acceptance of teen dating violence. Sex Role 33(7/8): 597-605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kandakai, T. L., Price, J. H., Telljohann, S. K., and Wilson, C. A. (1999). Mothers' perceptions of factors influencing violence in schools. J School Health 69(5): 189-195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacourse, E. (1999). acute;nation, musique “heavy metal” et risque suicidaire chez les adolescents [Alienation, Heavy Metal Music and Suicidal Risks in Adolescents]. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Montreal, Department of Psychology, Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, M. (1994). Échelle de troubles de comportement et délinquance [Problem behavior and delinquency scale]. In Le Blanc, M., McDuff, P., Fréchette, M., Langelier, S., Levert, F., and Trudeau-Lecblanc, P. (1996). Manuel sur des mesures de l'adaptation sociale et personnelle pour les adolescents québécois [Manual of Social and Personal Adaptation Measures for Quebec's Adolescents]. École de psychoéducation et le Groupe de recherche sur les adolescents en difficulté, School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal.

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescent-limited and life course persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy. Psychol. Rev. 100(4): 674-701.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1997). Adolescent-limited and life course persistent offending: A complementary pair of developmental theories. Adv. Criminol. Theor. 7: 11-54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morizot, J., and Leblanc, M. (2000). Le rôle des pairs dans l'émergence et le développement de la conduite délinquante: une recension critique des écrits [The role of peers in the emergence and the development of delinquent conduct: A critical literature review]. Revue Canadienne de Psycho-Éducation 29(1): 87-117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miranda, D. (2002). te;tude des liens entre l'écoute de la musique rap et les comportements déviants à l'adolescence [Links Between Rap Music Listening and Deviant Behaviors in Adolescence]. Unpublished master's thesis. University of Montreal, Department of Psychology, Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mucchielli, L. (2000). Rap Music and French Society as viewed by youth of the “cités.” Penal Issues Newsletter 11: 5-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • North, A. C., Hagreaves, D. J., and O'Neill., S. A. (2000). The importance of music to adolescents. Br. J. Educ. Psychol. 70(2): 255-272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orange, C. (1996). Rap videos: A source of undesirable vicarious empowerment for African-American males. High School J. 79(4): 281-292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peretz, I., Kolinsky, R., Tramo, M., Labrecque, R., Hublet, C., Demeurisse, G., and Belleville, S. (1994). Functional dissociations following bilateral lesions of auditory cortex. Brain 117: 344-356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, W. E. (1996). Droppin Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture. Temple University Press, Philadelphia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raviv, A., Bar-Tal, D., Raviv, A., and Ben-Horin, A. (1996). Adolescent idolization of pop singers: causes, expressions, and reliance. J. Youth Adolesc. 25(5): 631-650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roe, K. (1995). Adolescents' use of socially disvalued media: Towards a theory of media delinquency. J. Youth Adolesc. 24(5): 617-631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero, E., Luengo, M. A., and Sobral, J. (2001) Personality and antisocial behaviour: Study of temperamental dimensions. Pers. Indiv. Diff. 31(3): 329-348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, T. (1994). Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. New Hampshire, Wesleyan University Press. (Published by University Press of New England, Hanover.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Russel, P. A. (1997). Musical tastes and society. In Hargreaves, J., North, A. C. (eds.), The Social Psychology of Music. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 141-160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Giller, H., and Hagel, A. (1998). Antisocial Behavior in Young People. Cambridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, J. (1999). Adolescent sexuality: Factoring in the influences of family, friends and school. J. Sex Res. 36(4): 331-341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, J. R., and Brown, J. D. (1995). Adolescent room culture: Studying media in the context of everyday life. J. Youth Adolesc. 24(5): 551-576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornberry, T. P., Lizotte, A. J., Krohn, M. D., Farnworth, M., and Jang, S. J. (1994). Delinquent peers, beliefs, and delinquent behavior: A longitudinal test of interactional theory. Criminology 32(1):47-83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrance, S., Braithwaite, R. L., and Taylor, S. E. (1998). Model for using hip-hop music for small group HIV/AIDS prevention counseling with African American adolescents and young adults. Patient Educ. Counsel. 35(2): 127-137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, J. B., Barone, J. E., Stewart, J., Hogan, R. J. Sarnelle, J. A., and Blackwood, M. M. (1993). Violence prevention: Reaching adolescents with the message. Am. Sociol. Rev. 58(6): 753-767.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villani, S. (2001). Impact of media on children and adolescents: A 10-year review of the research. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 40(4): 392-401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, D. A., and Gentile, D. A. (2001). A validity test of movie, television, and video-game ratings. Pediatrics 107(6): 1302-1308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wester, S., Crown, C. L., Quatman, G. L., and Heesacker, M. (1997). The influence of sexually violent rap music on attitudes of men with prior exposure. Psychol. Women Q. 21(4): 497-508.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zillmann, D., and Bathia., A. (1989). Effects of associating with musical genres on heterosexual attraction. Commun. Res. 16: 263-288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zillmann, D., and Gan, S. (1997). Musical taste in adolescence. In Hargreaves, J., North, A. C. (eds.), The Social Psychology of Music. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 161-187.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Miranda, D., Claes, M. Rap Music Genres and Deviant Behaviors in French-Canadian Adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 33, 113–122 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOYO.0000013423.34021.45

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOYO.0000013423.34021.45

Navigation