> Using your own example, the depiction of killing in Johnny Cash's tune is
> rather tame comparing to those in gangsta rap - and that difference
> correspond to the stereotypes of blacks as being more "brutish" than whites.
> In other words, depictions of killing by whites or in "white" song" is
> sanitized of all gory details and followed by a "civilized" remorse, while
> the depiction of killing by blacks and in "black" song is full of gory
> details and expletives, followed by "barbaric" gloating.
If you wouldn't take such cartoonishly absolute and ahistorical positions I might be willing to concede some of your general points. But you make ridiculous generalizations both about "white" (which despite your grand claim is often "gory" and lacking in remorse) music and "black" music (I am really confused about your characterization of "rap" as "black" and "black" as "rap" which is quite bizarre given the current state of music).
Sticking solely to Johnny Cash songs, my favorite example goes back more than 300 years when Jack Hall was hanged in England and some minstrel wrote the now famous "Sam Hall". The original is quite striking for its gore ("I bashed his bloody head") and its complete lack of remorse (Sam not only mocks the sheriff, the legal system and the preacher but ordinary "good" people and the widow of his victim! That is cold!). Cash also angrily sang "Cocaine Blues" that expresses no regret of "shooting his bad bitch down" (it does express regret at getting caught which is no different than many contemporary songs).
There is probably something about "rap" getting away with more violence and getting played--but I would argue that is pretty complex story that has a lot to do with "rap's" positioning as "underground" (which in nearly all genres has violent and gory variations) at the same time being sold in the mainstream.
"Oh, yes, you got a fine sister, She warmed my blood from cold, Brought my blood to boiling hot To keep you from the Gallows Pole, Your brother brought me silver, Your sister warmed my soul, But now I laugh and pull so hard And see you swinging on the Gallows Pole Swingin' on the gallows pole! "
--Traditional (made famous by Led Zepellin--note the complete lack of remorse expressed by Authority which positions itself quite differently in your "lack of remorse o' meter". White artists often sing about quite violent things in gory ways--like killing Iraqis--without any remorse because they are about power).