People like to make these grandiose statements about influence.
And yes there's going to typically be something in everyone's life that sparks an thought or an idea.
I grew up watching Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, shaq (magic) playing NBA jam...hell I played basketball for 16 years. I never ever ever wanted to play in the NBA. Basketball was fun, but I never wanted to be "like Mike."
I grew up playing Mario, mortal combat and street fighter, never kicked or stomped any turtles, ate magic mushrooms, ripped someone's heart out, or any of that shyt.
Used to play mad Quake, quake 2, unreal tournament, goldeneye....never wanted to shoot people randomly or any of that.
Grew up on all the rap. My brother still has his CD collection, and boxes of cassettes. He graduated in 90. I was a jit, riding around in his whip, flipping through all the album artwork listening to everything, big, pac, nas, master p and no limit, cashmoney....never ever wanted to sell drugs or even be a rapper.
I make beats as a hobby but what kids don't find some sort of musical endeavor, they used to teach us instruments in school (still do).
Millions of Americans are sheltered from bullshyt and raised in a church. We don't have millions of pastors, church leaders and wannabes.
At some point in our lives, and nobody know when, could be when we are 3, 7, 9, 13, 18. Something resonates with us and some of us say "this is what I'd like to do".
For some people that doesn't happen. I know 40 year olds still waiting for something to pop off. I know 40 year olds who served in the military, went to college got a degree, good job, spouse, kids, and are still waiting for that something to pop off.
For other circumstances break them. Cats start doing or dealing drugs and get caught up in the system and get fukked.
One of my close friends was like that. Was mid 20's used to drink, smoke, pop pills, party 5-6 nights a week. Got a job ironically at a residential youth treatment center. Don't know what clicked or why, but within months dude stopped drinking, smoking using drugs. Dude runs shyt now. shyt just sync'd up for him. He doesn't tell war stories (about using and abusing) but if he's asked whether he's ever used, he's honest about it.
I know people in their 50's and 60's that just now or recently got shyt sync'd and looping. Some people would that's too late. And depending on who those people are in some instances they may be right (case in point one of their 30 year old children).
Yeah some of music is bad. No denying that. Maybe it's easier to either do bad stuff or be lazy than it is to be productive or chase goals. I tell people all the time a blind man has climbed the Himalayas, a dude with no legs has climbed MT Kilimanjaro---- "What did you do today?".
No one Ive ever mentioned that to has ever done something extravagant like that but it's possible they made positive steps, others have continued to do nothing and get worse.
Rap at this point is a common denominator but it's also just a scapegoat. Blaming rap in 2022 is exactly the same as blaming white racism and/or mass shootings as " mental health". Yes someone during a drive by shooting may have been playing rap music, yes someone might see so and so with the draco and the glock and go
, yes someone might get killed or jumped at a rap concert, yes some artist may condone the negative behaviors often attributed to rap, yes someone who is racist may also have a mental health illness, could be depression, anxiety, autism, ADHD, add, bipolar, schizo effective disorder, but having any of those disorders doesn't make you racist. Having a glock and a draco doesn't make you a thug or a gangmember. Playing a fukking song doesn't mean you're a criminal.