WARNING**** This blog post contains a cornucopia of explicit language that some may find offensive. Reader discretion advised.
Many teens and young adults (including myself) can be quick to jump on the bandwagon by listening to the latest hit without really considering what the song is really about. The songs are catchy-- that's why they're popular in the first place. They're fun to dance to, play in the car, and maybe even sing along to.
Sometimes I feel sort of guilty listening to the songs and liking them, though. I've quoted Bobby Shmurda's "Hot Nigga" by yelling "'bout a week agoooo"in response to when my parents asked me how long it's been since I've done the dishes and danced the Shmurda as I sauntered away. I've sang along with "I Don't Fuck With You" by Big Sean with my friends. I've even laughed while yelling, "BAKING SODA" as I flailed my arms in the air, as O.T. Gensis does in "CoCo."
At first, "Hot Nigga" seems like a catchy little tune. The song is famed for its line "'bout a week ago,"
which many young people use as a lighthearted response. However, if you actually take the time to read through the song's lyrics, you'll first realize that they barely make sense. Then, you'll be shocked about how the song is all about killing people and, in my opinion, overuses the word "nigga(s)."
Well... "I Dont Fuck With You" is a pretty offensive title to begin with. Though it can be a sort of relatable situation for people my age to be in, if you actually watch the video, it's kind of terrible. There is flashing during what appears to be a high school football game. And the lyrics "you little stupid ass bitch I ain't fucking with you" isn't too kind, not matter how much you dislike someone.
The entire video is him packaging cocaine. That's it. The lyrics are pretty repetitive.
The issue with these videos goes deeper than the surface problems I've identified. These videos and others of their kind normalize dangerous, sexist, and offensive behavior. Many music videos feature women, but not in the most positive roles. They are often referred to as a "bitch," "hoe," "trick," etc., not things you would necessarily want to be called. Often times they are portrayed in an extremely sexual manner, or appear in roles where they are there to serve as a source of pleasure. Not only do these songs degrade women, they glorify gang violence. Bobby Shmurda raps about killing other "niggas."It desensitizes the target audience to offensive language and scenarios, and in a way, mocks those who are offended for feeling the way they do. These songs are catchy-- but the themes? Not so much.
You make valid points about the themes of this music demeaning women and glamorizing drugs and violence. I think that, despite the examples you gave, some people wrongly condemn the whole genre of rap. They don't think to differentiate between the good and the bad.
ReplyDeleteAnother, separate point: I think a lot of harm comes from non-black rap listeners who don't think critically about the lyrics. They start using AAVE words and even saying the n-word, thinking that that's an acceptable thing to do. This is not the fault of the artists, of course, but cultural appropriation and racism are huge unintended consequences that come from certain people mindlessly consuming content without thinking about what it means for them.
First off feel free to shun me from the honors community for the tardiness of my comment. But I really love and agree with Emma's comment about black culture being appropriated and then in turn rap getting stigmatized. Obviously if you listen to any other artist the lyrics are just as bad (ie. Eminem's deplorable music). Then you get white artists being celebrating for something black artists are shamed for such as Miley's twerking escapades and Taylor Swift twerking and countless other artists conveying messages about drugs, alcohol, murder, and rape culture. But as we said in class, it's super hard because sometimes songs are so dang CATCHY and sometimes I don't even catch problematic lyrics until MUCH later.
ReplyDeleteEven my problematic fave Beyonce has issues in her songs. I was SO upset when I learned of Jay-Z's verse in 'drunk in love' included the line “I am Ike Turner…Baby know I don’t play. Now eat the cake, Anna Mae. Said Eat the Cake, Anna Mae." This (i learned) is from the Tina Turner film of her life story 'What's love got to do with it." In this scene, Tina Turner, real name Anna Mae Bullock, has just released her own music single and two kids come up to her at a diner asking for her autograph. Not her husband Ike's. Ike is jealous. He tells her to "eat the cake" so they can celebrate her new and independent success. She doesn’t want any. He says "Eat the cake, Anna Mae" and when she refuses, he stands up, shoves it in her mouth and across her face. Her friend and backing vocalist tries to stop him. Ike threatens her, beats her and she runs away shouting to Tina Turner, "You are dead if you stay with him." It is a humiliating moment and goes on to become rape and beatings.
Making light of domestic abuse? Not so great Queen Bey.