Now, the issue. I love music. Therefore my kids love music. Perfect. But yesterday I had one of those parenting moments where you have to make a choice and then hope that you made the right one. Jocelyn came home wanting to download a song which may or may not have had questionable lyrics. She wasn't even sure what the lyrics were, but many of her friends were listening to it, she liked the beat, and she wanted it.
So I got online to check the lyrics as she rolled her eyes at me. The lyrics showed that there may be some bad words but they weren't written out. They looked like this... ****
As she began to get mad and frustrated that I wouldn't let her listen to the music she wanted, I told her I would download the song and listen to it in it's entirety before putting it on her iPod. I listened to it. It didn't have any distinguishable bad words that I could hear. I think it was an edited version.
The music is rap. Hip-hop/rap. That's what she wants to listen to. Rap is about the only music genre not represented in my vast music library, unless you count Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang. That's oldschool. And then it hit me...oldschool. I'll go back to the oldschool hip-hop/rap that I used to like when I was about her age.
Here's a little sampling of a playlist I made her...
- Who Let The Dogs Out - Baha Men
- Just a Friend - Biz Markie (his only clean song)
- Parents Just Don't Understand - Will Smith (terribly ironic, isn't it?)
- Everybody Dance Now - C+C Music Factory
- Jump - Kriss Kross
- Pump Up the Jam - Technotronic
- U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
- Whoomp! There It Is - Tag Team
- Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice (Oh yes I did)
She was satisfied for now, and so we rounded out her playlist with some other fun music for kids to listen to like...
- Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
- Macarena - Los Del Rio
- I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow
- Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
- Can't Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie Minogue
- We Will Rock You - Queen
We had a good talk about how listening to innapropriate music wouldn't allow the spirit to be with us, and she agreed that she needed to choose the right. But I know she's struggling with some peer pressure. I took her precious little face in my hands and told her that it was my job to protect her from bad things and teach her what was right and that I would never allow her to listen to vulgar or degrading music. Ever.
I don't want to stifle her love of music, just hopefully lead her in a direction that is safe and healthy. I am slowly coming to the realization that my love of folk/indie/easy listening/jazz won't necessarily be loved and appreciated by all of my children. Bummer.
So my questions for you today are...
1. What would you have done? Would you have said "No rap. Period." (because I thought about it.)?
2. Did I fail miserably at Parenting with Music 101? (be honest)
3. If I didn't fail then did I miss any great hip-hop/rap that I could introduce to her?
P.S. I just read The Jolly Porter's latest post, and oh my, is it hilarious, you MUST read it.
