During the summertime, I put overtime into work. It’s during this time I have the opportunity to really save money or buy items I could not normally buy during the school year, such as high-end makeup or dramatic wardrobe changes. My work schedule can be anywhere from 40-60 hours a week with trying to maintain a workout schedule and somewhat of a social life. To keep me motivated, I usually turn to music, particularly trap music.

It’s deep bass, with a fast-paced tempo and loud, sometimes vulgar, lyrics that keep me on my toes and make me feel ready to take the next step forward or the next shift more often than not. Future, LiL Uzi, Lil Boosie, Gucci Mane, Lil Yachty and Kevin Gates stay on my “most recent” playlist. Not only do I enjoy listening to them on my way to and from work, it’s a rather great motivator during my workout period. It gets me ready for the next set or helps me finish a run after a long day.

Trap music in an esscence has been a motivator to help better myself, whether in my personal life or my professional life. I find myself ready to take on the world after listening to it, which makes me truly grateful for it. However many have other ideas on the music genre. I don’t blame individuals for making vast assumptions or believing “that” music is only up to no good. Trying to be protective, people want the best for their society, or even just their children, which includes what type of music is available. Many believe trap music will only promote violence, drugs or gang-related activity (notice I emphasize only), to simply state that it will only promote negativity. I am here to tell you that is false.

Of course it’s important to think and care for ourselves and our children, but to claim a genre of music is responsible for only negative attributes and does nothing for society, is, well,…ridiculous. Yes, sadly there are going to be individuals who listen to trap music and do those negative things, but that’s with most new music genres when they come on the scene. Many people recognized rock 'n' roll music as the “devil’s music” when it became big, which did nothing but made individuals believe the listeners and musicians are lazy and wreckless devil worshippers.

Another music genre example that is usually judged harshly is screamo music. Many feel as though individuals who listen to it are weird, crazy, sadistic and so forth. Encountering all walks of life that have listened to and enjoyed this type of music genre, it’s safe to say these individuals, for the most part, are normal.

Speaking on behalf of the majority of music listeners, many care about others, are believers in their faith or spirituality, have a career, go to school, have family and friends and are considerably normal. We are not all that different; it all boils down to music preference.

Just because someone likes a different music genre or type does not make them weird or inferior to others. If music helps an individual go through troubled times, motivate them to be better or just makes them happier, then it’s good music. It does help a person move forward and does help society. Sure, it’s a little unorthodox, but trying new things is a part of life.

What I am trying to say is trap music doesn’t need to be liked or even accepted by a person who just does not like it, but it should be "respeked" (put some respek on it) as a music genre. If it helps people finish a workout or a 12-hour shift, then it should not be talked down. I am not here writing this article to try and persuade anybody or tell people how to think, but encouraging you to simply keep an open mind and have respect for things, such as differing music genres. To me, if something helps me pay my bills and gets me up in the morning, then it deserves some integrity.