I understand completely that a lot of people admire hip hop artists such as Akon, Snoop Dogg, and 50 cent. I like some of their music too. But now, all of the lyrics seem to be targeted towards women, and not in a good way either. All of the lyrics are demeaning and portray women to be nothing but a possession or a prize.
For Example::"Smack That" by Akon
I feel you creepin I can see it from my shadow
Wanna jump up in my Lamborghini Gallardo
Maybe go to my place and just kick it like Tae-Bo
And possibly bend ya over
Look back and watch me smack that, all on the floor
Smack that, give me some more
Smack that, 'til you get sore
Smack that, oh-ohhh-oh-ohh
Smack that, all on the floor
Smack that, give me some more
Smack that, 'til you get sore
Smack that, oh-ohhh-oh-ohh
This song is very popular, but what people don't realize is that it is pretty much saying that women are promiscuous. That is just flat-out wrong. Great women fought so hard to earn rights for us, and we still are being treated like dirt. And no one is doing anything about it. In the music videos, we all see women shaking their butts and wearing clothes that are way too tight and revealing. And these are the women that are the role models for our little sisters and cousins?? PATHETIC!!! Instead of allowing, we should actually stand up and tell these guys to grow up and get realistic. They should not be allowed to make money by calling us a bunch of hoochies. Ladies, let's do something about this.....
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I don't listen to that genre a whole lot, but I've heard some of these songs and I agree, they are pathetic and disgusting. For instance, I was at a roller-rink with a friend the other day and there were girls as young as five years old skating around, and they played a song that went "lets think about sex babe, lets think about makin love..." It made me want to throw up, thats wrong to expose girls who are young and influencible to that kind of crap..
-S
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I do agree with you on some points. This music that completely demeans women and the rights we've worked so hard for is wrong. And introducing this kind of music to young girls and boys puts very low standards in their heads. This music shows little girls that they are supposed to get naked and shake their butts while boys can smack you around and treat you horribly... Real great future the kids of America have to look forward to... HOWEVER, it does go both ways. Women are asking for songs like this when every female figure you see in the media is half-naked and strutting their stuff. It shouldn't necessarily be the males in the music industry you're getting mad at. Instead, you should be mad at famous figures and the media in general. This fairy-tale life they paint of hot sex, drugs, and the rock-and-roll lifestyle isn't REAL life. Never do the realistic role models, like Mandy Moore, show up in the news. Instead Britney Spears latest breakdown and Lindsey Lohan's latest rehab stint fill the headlines. It's not the men in music we should be mad at, it should be those females portraying our gender. With the way they act, they're just asking for crude lyrics and over-graphic songs.
most of our "role models" truly do suck! or at least the people who are supposed to be role models.
The hip hop that you are referring to is not real hip hop. Music that is corporately corrupted and fueled by the desire to make a 'hot' song to top the charts is not real hip hop. Hip hop springs from the roots of oppression: from West Africa to the Bronx to, now, the Suburbs. This could turn into an entire new blog entry, but what I am saying is - don't listen to the crap that is on the radio and seek the artists that embody the hip hop movement. A movement born out of oppression and built to bring light to social evils of our time. Check out: Lupe Fiasco, Talib Kweli, Del the Funkee Homosapien, Jurassic 5, Freestyle, KRS-One, Saul Williams, The Roots, Souls of Mischief, The Arsonists, Mobb Deep, Leaders of a New School, The Coup, Ohmega Watts, Blackstar, and Braille. The best hip hop and the true hip hop is largely underground. The mainstream music industry doesn't want to highlight social issues, they want to make money.
Check out this: daydream, the official return of hip hop.
- Challenge yourself everyday, if you don't then it is a wasted day.
www.scoutbanana.org
I totally agree. It's like, we would never tolerate it if guys were saying sexist things to our face, but somehow in music it's okay.
It's not right--and I fear that it's teaching young men to disrepect women, and young women to disrespect themselves. Why do we censor cuss words, and allow such hateful, prejudiced lyrics to go unbridled?
I'm not for censorship. Admittedly, these rappers have their freedom of speech. What disappoints me is that somehow we ladies don't feel empowered to turn off these stations and shrug off the prejudiced values that are preached in these songs. Instead, I see ladies becoming the playthings that are objectified in these songs, and selling themselves as sexual objects in dress, lifestyle, etcetera.
Maybe taking the power away from the rappers isn't the answer; maybe we ladies taking our power back and refusing to internalize these values and listen to these songs is the answer.
Come one, ladies! Smack those rappers back!
Allison
"Be the change you want to see in the world" ~Mahatma Gandhi
In the corporate culture of the music industry I see men as well as women falling prey to the popular sex culture of America. From 'This is why I'm hot' to women glarmorizing being an item to use. I would again speak to the fact that these songs we hear on the radio reflect the music industry's interest. There are many songs that are never heard that are parodies of those terribly sexist songs and songs that tell female performers to stop making themselves into objects, etc. It is not just men, women are also perpetuating the issue. I think you state a great answer: Refuse to buy or listen to those songs
- Challenge yourself everyday, if you don't then it is a wasted day.
www.scoutbanana.org