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Oh crap, it's like picking a scab, really it is.
A question, y'all...
I would avoid using terms like "the majority of mainstream rappers" if you don't want to look like a complete FULE. Because, oh I dunno, there's a bit of a difference between say Fabolous, Eminem and 50 Cent to name just three.
And if you want to say modern mainstream rap is filthy and misogynist, I might suggest the use of examples. I know it's a little radical, but you may find it strengthens the argument somewhat. Except that would actually involve properly listening to some of the music you're casually writing off, wouldn't it?
Secondly I think you need to make a distinction between the use of the word "bitch" and misogyny. Because, really, it isn't the same thing...
If the word "nigga" is no longer a racist epithet in the context of hip hop, and the word "dog" can mean "friend" and, oh I dunno, I could go on and on.
Why does the word "bitch" necessarily have to be literally interpreted as denigratory? "Bitch" in hip hop usually just means "woman" in exactly the same way that "nigga" just means "man".
Now obviously sometimes "bitch" is used in a denigratory fashion, but just because a rapper uses the word, doesn't make him misogynist. And anyhow, the words "ho" and "bitch" have been fairly thoroughly detourned, oh about 6-8 years ago now, by a variety of female rappers.
Because you know, the following lines are really misogynistic, right?
"A real bitch is all I want, all I ever had (yeah, c'mon)
With a glock just as strong as me
Totin guns just as long as me, the bitch belongs with me"
And that's 10 years old.
Or to take a more recent example, I bet the kind of thing you particular like to hate on might be a song like 50's "P.I.M.P." because that's popular, confident, swaggering and performed by the biggest scariest black guy out there at the moment.
Here's a quote:
"Girl we could pop some champagne and we could have a ball
We could toast to the good life, girl we could have it all
We could really splurge girl, and tear up the mall
If ever you needed someone, I'm the one you should call
I'll be there to pick you up, if ever you should fall
If you got problems, I can solve'em, they big or they small
That other nigga you be with ain't bout shit
I'm your friend, your father, and confidant, BITCH"
Now I'm not about to be claiming 50 is a feminist, but you can surely see that there is, I dunno, a certain amount of ambiguity in this song...
As opposed to your typical Oberstian howl of rage at all the unreasonable women out there who for some reason don't want to suckle at the singer's crotch for all eternity (while wearing quirky glasses, naturally). |
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