Today, Adolescents and Sex..Plus Lyfe Jennings

Here's a homework assignment I had to do for my Adolescent Pyschology class.


1. Introduce the item that you reviewed and what type of item it was that was reviewed and what age group that it targeted.
I reviewed an R&B song called “S.E.X” by an artist called Lyfe Jennings. I chose this song because many artists don’t take responsibility for the type of material that’s displayed in their song. Meaning, some artists promote sex and crime as a good lifestyle. Many adolescents don’t know how to distinguish the bad and good from a video. Meaning, adolescents believe that the artists of the song live the life style that’s in lyrics and videos. Most of the artists are really not gangsters but trying to portray their selves as a gangster to sell albums. Lyfe Jennings is an artist that’s really not well known or popular because his music has a message. Artist with negative messages or music with know meaning tend to be more popular or sell more albums. Lyfe Jennings is an artist that comes from a rocky background and now giving back to the community through his music. Lyfe Jennings is an artist that takes responsibility for the type of music that he projects to the world. This song would target any adolescent that’s participating in sexual activity but the target would be age group 12 – 17 years old.
2. What topics were most popular among the item reviewed?
The song covered sexual relationships, peer pressure, and love. The focus of the song was to persuade adolescents to wait on having sex and don’t allow other teens or adults to pressure you into sex. The song wanted adolescents to recognize the difference between sex and lust.
2. Why do you think these topics would be of interest to adolescents? Were the information presented positive or negative and what effect do you think it has on adolescents?
Sex is a major topic of interest among adolescents in today’s society. This song would be of interest for the average adolescent because we live in a very sexual society. Meaning, there’s a big focus on sex in music, fashion, movies and the media. Also, sex is an issue that adolescents have to deal with and a song that mentions sex will get their attention. The question is how long will a song that teaches abstinence will hold their attention. This song presents positive information for adolescents and will have a positive effect on adolescents that will listen. Unfortunately, some teens will refrain from sex but others will continue to participate in careless, unprotected sex.
3. Was the item specifically targeted at boys or girls?
I think this song was specifically targeted at girls but boys can learn from the song, too. The message of the song is universal for all adolescents.
4. Was the item specifically targeted at an ethnic group?
Again, this song doesn’t targets a specific ethnic group and universal for all adolescents. Sex is an issue that affects every ethnic group.
6. Conclude with a summary of your observations about how the item you surveyed reflects the world of the adolescent in the United States.
S.E.X. is a song about a 17 year old girl who’s experiencing changes to her body and naïve to her surroundings. Lyfe Jennings is the narrator in the song and feels that this 17 year old girl and other young girls need to know the difference between love and sex. Lyfe Jennings use the slang term “game” for a metaphor to explain how young boys and grown men try to use words and material things to pressure young girls into sex. Lyfe Jennings wants to stress to the audience that men will use any method to take advantage of young girls. There are some men that are on the prey for young girls and out to ruin their lives. Furthermore, it’s illegal for any adult to have sex or sexual activities with underage girls. An adolescent need to understand it’s wrong for an adult to try to engage a minor into sex or sexual activities. The girl in the song is aware of the men’s attention and enjoys the attention from men. The girl is staring to act out at home and don’t want to listen to her parents. The parents try to give their daughter advice but the advice is going in one ear and out the ear. The girl has someone that she’s been seeing and feeling the pressure to have sex. The girl thinks she’s in love and the boy telling her that he loves her to get the girl to have sex. The point is to prevent adolescents from having sex just because the adolescent may think that they are in love. Also, a person that loves you would never put conditions on love. Moreover, it’s not natural or normal for an adult to pursue a personal relationship with a child. This song deals with the issue of teens having sex too early. Lastly, Jennings were trying to give teens options and let teens know there are more positive opportunities then having sex.

Lyfe Jennings - SEX Lyrics

http://www.smartlyrics.com/Song565864-Lyfe-Jennings-SEX-lyrics.aspx