The (non)offensive nature of “white power” music, a research note

Abstract

The mainstreaming of extremist white supremacy’s racist rhetoric over the last decade has facilitated the growth of far-right violence in the United States. Music provides a vital tool in helping spread and integrate racist norms and values into the larger mainstream music ecosystem. White power music, from its inception, has been geared toward younger generations as a recruitment and messaging tool. This study examines the offensive nature of white power music by ascertaining if today’s youth find the lyrics of white power music, when compared to the lyrics of rap or heavy metal music, offensive. Our results reveal that white, male Zoomers are less offended, compared to their Black peers, by the lyrics of white power music. These findings highlight how pervasive the themes of extremist white supremacy have become in mainstream society. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of Trump’s second presidency, where the political environment is likely to be favorable to a greater acceptance toward hate/bias-related violence against non-whites.