Man, man. If my manager insults me again, I will be assaulting him. â Kanye West (Spaceship)
The above song probably shouldn’t be playing in the background while you’re at work â at least not within earshot of your employer. So, what kind of music is appropriate for the work place? Well, I won’t tell you exactly what is (no name dropping here), but I will tell you what definitely is not.
1. Cursing â Blasting a track laced with curses is generally not a good idea. I could be wrong, but it’s a pretty safe bet your employer won’t be too pleased to hear your favorite artist rattle off a set of words not only banned by the FCC, but MTV, and BET. Not a good look. The use of these words can make those around you uncomfortable, seeing as there are actually people who don’t curse.
2. Lil’ Jon â Okay, so I’m going to break my own rule here and just say it: all things Lil’ Jon should not be played in a working environment (give or take a couple of Ciara recordsâ¦and maybe a Nivea one). What’s the problem, you ask? Though everyone should have a special place in their hearts set aside for a little crunk, the genre tends to be full of “aggressive content” (à la 50 Cent). Please, for the sake of you, me, and your job security, no putting “yo hood up” and to include the last “don’t,” no proclamations about how much you just don’t give a ââ.
3. Sexually Explicit Lyrics â Remember one of the rules from Freestyle Friday? There will be no sexually explicit lyrics? Yes, we’re on that tip. That song you’re dying to hit play on with the “red light special” content should be saved until you’re in your own personal space. Though you might not mean any harm, lyrics of that type can generally be offensive and are more than inappropriate for work.
Now that your musical selection has been narrowed down to a mere ten songs in your iPod, enjoy! Seriously, it’s important to remember to use your best judgment when it comes to music in the workplace. Depending on the context of the situation (what type of job, how lenient your employer is, etc.), some of the above attributes might be acceptable. If all else fails, you could alwaysâ¦sing to yourself-that is, with the listed guidelines in mind. —— By: Bethany N.
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