James Plascencia

English 115
Professor Lawson
Identity Essay
Word Count: 1069

Identity Essay
Today, the modern days, everyone has access to the internet, everyone gets to see what is
in today, and of course want to be a part of it; these popular cultures. An example would be
music, everyone is into that popular culture. Not every single person is into one genre
specifically, they can be very interested into multiple genres. Me, myself, I listen to Pop Punk,
Rock, Rap, EDM (Electronic Dance Music), and many others except for very heavy metal, the
only genre I wouldnt actually listen to. All musical genres display their own message, then the
artists that are a part of the genre display their own message in their songs aside from that. With
these specific messages made towards specific audiences, it might help identify who they are, or
at least a part of them. The main genres that I want to discuss that had helped me with find a part
of my identity are Rap and Pop Punk.
The Pop Punk Genre, to me, isnt what people might think it is. People who dont listen
to the genre, of course, think its bad because of the way it sounds or just the way their fans or
audiences look and dress. The main singer screaming his/her lungs out aggressively that people
cant really understand a word theyre saying. In Josh Delmar Zimmermans essay, Punks Not
Dead, he includes It is safe to judge other groups becauseothers in the group are judging in a
similar fashion and your opinion wont stand out as contentious, contention is what punk is
about.1 Groups judge other groups just because they simply think that those groups they are
judging are judging them as well. So judgements are made against other groups for simply being

different. In reality, these songs arent just about being rebellious, it is not even about being
rebellious for the most part, only that everyone should be able to act their own way and shouldnt
fall to societys conformity. Some of it is just about fun experiences out on the road or on tour,
and some of it is about romance. If other people who outside of the pop punk bubble just read
and listened to the music carefully then they wouldnt judge. The pop punk audience only
dresses the way they do because they simply want to, they want to be different. Theyre just tired
of hearing act your age.
As for rap, there have been countless events that involved a callous authority and
the people who want to express themselves. Same goes for their fans/audience, treated unfairly
by the same authority. A major example of a rap group that has been demeaned and criticized by
not only the authorities, but the white public and other non-minority public, is the infamous rap
group N.W.A. Widely criticized for their refusals to condemn gang violence or drug abuse, Ice
Cube insists that NWA tell it like it is. The parents, the police and the people of the local
community are scared of what we say. We use the same kind of language as the kids use every
day. In the black community, the ministers and teachers don't deny that the problems we rap
about exist, but they'd rather sweep it under the rug. Maybe that's why we sell so many records,
because the people in the community all tell the kids what to do, the police are watching them
24-seven [24 hours a day, seven days a week], so when they party, they don't want to hear, 'Don't
do this and don't do that.' Our raps are documentary. We don't take sides.2 This was said by Ice
Cube, former N.W.A. rap group artist, on how there is always someone telling them what we can
and cant do. Why cant we just do what we want to do without anyone criticizing or getting in
our way of our goals? Theres always a roadblock on our road to achievement, whether its
parents or society itself wanting us to fall into line with its conformity.

Rap and Pop Punk, are both very different genres. Yet, their meanings or ideals are
somewhat similar in a way. Whether the song is about politics, love, or just having fun. There is
always some sort of censorship that is in play. Whether its the album artwork or the lyrics in the
song itself. How is it that we have freedom of speech yet, it is still blocked out from what is
played every day, and can be heard everywhere, by everybody? Audience members are judged
and looked down upon for the way they are dressed and it is as if their clothes are censored and
on top of that their music. You want to be able to hear the music on the radio without the DJ
scratching the record to block it out, it is pointless especially if we already know what the singer
is going to say. Like wow, we totally didnt know what he or she was going to say in that verse.
Music is a way to find ones identity, so why block that out?
Music is a big part of my life, Im always listening to it, when Im feeling down, mad, or
just plain bored. The two genres of Rap and Pop Punk help me and make me realize what society
is like and that there are always people wanting to stop us from doing what we want, and that we
shouldnt be casualties to their casualty. Once I put in my earphones, the lyrics and sound of
music gives me freedom. It makes me feel that I can be who I want to be, it brings out the
romantic side in me depending on the song. It brings out my rebellious side. I can have multiple
personas with a different genre, whether it is Pop Punk, EDM, or Rap. Im pretty sure it isnt just
me who feels this way, people who listen to other genres feel the same way of their genres. Sure
it might sound bad if a main vocalist screams his/her lungs out, but that doesnt meant that
theyre yelling something about the devil, or something demeaning, or just for parents and the
people who tell them what they cant do to f@#k off. No, theyre screaming for what they think
is right and that theyre different and theyre ok with it, its the way they identify themselves.

Works Cited
1) Zimmerman, Josh. Punks Not Dead Pop

Perspectives: Readings to Critique Contemporary

Culture. Ed. Laura Gray-Rosendale. San Francisco:
McGraw-Hill, 2008. 554-557. Print.

2) Cooper, Marl. "NWA: 'Our Raps Are Documentary. We Don't Take

Sides'"Theguardian. N.p., 7 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.