Because we should all love one another. Rape is illeagal and so is "rape pornography" so why shouldnt rap music be?

And rock and roll should be about love and peace.

A song about rape isn't raping someone. If you hear a song about rape you're not going to go rape someone. For all you know some rapist could be a fan of Christian music. I bet you asked all the rapists alive what their favorite song was you would find a variety of answers none of which were connected in anyway and the most popular song would probably be Stairway to Heaven or some classic rock anthem, hell it could even be a hymnal. There is no scientific information or even psychological backing to this theory that if you hear a combination of syllables arranged in a certain matter you're going to turn into a rapist.

Yes, actually I have reconsidered. I meant songs "glorifying rape". Many folk songs have themes of rape and muder, as long as it shows it in a remorseful or "sad" (for lack of a better word) way

Thats your opinion. Maybe I don't want my music to be about peace and love;)

Besides, censorship does nobody any good. We all make our own choices based on what we believe not based on propaganda.

How is a song glorifying rape raping someone?

then listen to metal or rap....but keep your rape out of my rock!

Why does rape need to be kept out of rock?

It doesnt but it should be portrayed in a shameful way....I think Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones sums up my point....ah em

"Rape, murder! It's just a shot away! Love, sister it's just a kiss away kiss away kiss away!"

Why should it have to be portrayed in a certain way?

Yeah, it should be.

But it doesn't have to be all about love and peace. Sometimes you need music that gets the anger out of your system. Rape and murder music is still terrible, but sometimes you just gotta go freaking crazy head-banging while your angry so that you don't explode on someone else.

Of course, you could argue that music that is peaceful and loving is better than music that lets you darker emotions, but then it really just covers it up and saves it for later.

You must be joking. Most of my favourite songs ever were written by people who were pissed off about something.

Yeah, but it shouldn't be about graphic violence. Protest songs are great! But the tradition of rock has always been to spread peace,love, and brotherhood.

My ass. The tradition of all forms of music is to write something that appeals to you, something you relate to, something on your mind, something of interest, or just whatever the Hell you feel like writing. Rock is no exception. There are angry rock songs and hippie rock songs but they're both still rock. If a rocker wants to write music about graphic violence, or even advocating rape than that is fine, and probably a good thing too. They have every right in the world to speak their mind openly and freely through music.

It shouldn't be the responsibility of the artist to not offend a bunch of morally staunch squares. It should be the square's responsibility to not listen to what he doesn't like.

just gonna toss in a few cents here...

1 - the PMRC is what gave us the really awesome 'parental advisory stickers' on just about every good cd available to me as a teenager. if i was torn between picking up two discs back when i was 16 you can be certain the one with the sticker usually won. it was the easiest way to determine whether or not i was getting whiny pussy rock or EFFING ROCK!!! in the pre-internet days. i can't believe they didn't anticipate that their 'warning' label would become a huge selling point to kids... seriously, when is the last time anyone here met a 16 year old who wanted to be just like their stodgy middle aged aunt?

2 - frank zappa said it best in an interview on either larry king or crossfire back in the day. he discusses the PMRC hearings and pretty much slays all their points. the VAST majority of written music is about love but that doesn't stop violence from happening.

3 - the idea that rock music has always been about the BS hippie(hypocrite) ideal of peace love and brotherhood is laughably absurd.

Until some stores stopped carrying CDs with those stickers, of course.

Why shouldn't it be?

Graphic violence is a fact of life. Most good music expresses the social climate of it's time.

I don't know where you live but in most places you can't buy a parental advisory album unless you're 17.

I can buy a parental advisory album... I'm 16 *shrugs*

Frank Zappa basically owned everyone in that Crossfire interview.

Yeah. I watched a lot of interviews with Zappa from that perioid. Wish he was still around.

Heres that crossfire episode.

YouTube - Frank Zappa on Crossfire

That John Lofton tool got owned.

zappa = THE MAN when it comes to modern popular music.

as for the PMRC warning labels. i was buying those cds in the mid 90s when the politicians honestly thought that a little sticker and photo ops were all they needed to do to regulate the market. not my fault they were idiots haha