Popular Music and Youth Violence: Examining the Relationship in Selected Communities in Lagos

This study examines the relationship between exposure to violent lyrical content in popular music and youth violent behaviour in selected communities in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Concerns about the portrayal of crime, gang activity, substance abuse, and gender-based violence in Nigerian popular music have grown among parents, educators, and policymakers. This research investigates whether young people who consume music with aggressive or violent lyrical content exhibit higher tendencies toward violent attitudes and behaviours compared to peers with different listening habits. A descriptive correlational design is adopted, with data collected through self-administered questionnaires from 350 young people aged 15 to 25 in Mushin and Agege local government areas. The questionnaire measures music listening habits, preferred genres, lyrical content exposure, and self-reported attitudinal dispositions toward violence. The study employs Pearson correlation and regression analysis to assess the relationship between variables. The research situates its findings within media effects theory, social learning theory, and recent criminological literature on music and youth behaviour in urban Africa. Findings are expected to present a nuanced picture that avoids simplistic causal claims while identifying potential associative patterns. Recommendations address media literacy education, music content regulation, and community-based music alternatives for at-risk youth. Keywords: Popular music, youth violence, Lagos, lyrical content, social learning.