Perceptions of the Influence of Hip-Hop Music and Media on Sexual Decision-Making and Behaviors of African American Adolescent Females

This study examined the role of hip-hop music, media and culture in sexual risk behaviors using focus groups and computerized surveys among 32 AA mid-adolescent girls in the southeastern U.S. The mean age was 17.8 years (SD=1.0) with a mean vaginal sexual debut of 15.7 years (SD=1.6). Sixty-six percent of girls were sexually active, 13% had at least one child and nearly 10% reported a history of sexually transmitted infections. Three themes emerged: (1) Hip-hop is the voice of the young people; (2) Media and music as first exposures to sex; (3) Artists and celebrities as role models for sex.