The use of Ebonics in rap lyrics is becoming more and more apparent in today’s society because there are so many more people of all cultures and age groups beginning to listen to rap. More and more of the younger generations today are imitating the style of their favorite rapper; for example, today there are kids all around the world dressing up with baggy clothes, wearing their hats real low, and changing the way they speak so they can sound like their favorite rappers. The way that the use of Ebonics in rap has effected not only the American culture, but cultures all around the world shows just how popular Ebonics has become in today’s society. The lyrics from the rap by Jay-Z entitled ’99 problems but a b th ain’t one’ has great lyrics showing the way rap and Ebonics has effected the way African Americans are viewed as today in both a positive and negative aspect. In the first verse Jay-Z gives us a good example how rap with the use of Ebonics has made him rich when he says, ‘Rap mags try and use my black a So advertisers can give ’em more cash for ads… f keys I don’t know what you take me as or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has I’m from rags to r itches n as i ain’t dumb…
.’ However, Jay-Z also shows how rap and Ebonics also shines a negative light when he says, ‘The year is ’94 and my trunk is raw In my rear view mirror is the mother fuck in’ law I got two choices y’all pull over the car or (hmmm) Bounce on the devil put the pedal to the floor Now i ain’t try in’ to see no highway chase for Jay Plus i got a few dollars i can fight the case So i… pull over to the side of the road i heard ‘Son do you know what i’m stop pin’ you for?’ Cause i’m young and i’m black and my hats real low But do i look like a mind reader sir, i don’t know Am i under arrest or should i guess some mo’? ‘Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-four’ ‘License and registration and step out of the car’ ‘Are you carry in’ a weapon on you i know a lot of you are”In that line Jay-Z is showing how cops are pulling him over just because he is African American and then assuming that he is carry a weapon while implying that he knows there are numerous African Americans who do carry around weapons. To sum everything up, Ebonics has affected cultures all over the world but more importantly has affected the African American culture in both positive and negative ways.