Hip-Hop

As a black woman who was born in the Bronx and spent enough time there to call it the Boogie Down Bronx I carry a little cockiness with me about hip-hop. What bothers me about the critique of rap music is that individuals fail to examine all music as a form of entertainment and whether that music is a reflection of the culture or representative of the culture. The discussion is almost always about the problems with black music or to be more accurate the problems with black men and their continuous victimization of black women through images of bootylicious, light-skinned, long-haired, video vixens.

What is never discussed and doubly offensive is that rap music is the main if not only genre that is highlighted in the music industry as oppressive without acknowledgment that rap music although performed mostly by black male entertainers is controlled by white CEO’s, white A&R Executives and white radio.

There are things that have continuously bothered me around the discussions on rap music. This post is a response to a webinar I attended last week.

1. There is a very important and distinct difference between rap and hip-hop and using the two terms interchangeably is not only problematic but offensive. Rap or rapping is a style of flow, a form of lyrical expression. Hip-hop is the lifeblood of people, primarily people of color, who experience struggle. One’s pet dog can be taught to rap, but that in no way shape or form encompasses hip-hop. The passion and power that hip-hop music holds is what has become appealing to so many groups of people who experience struggle and in my opinion is the reason why now more than blacks are relating to hip-hop.

2. Why aren’t we having a conversation about the larger culture? Both commercial rap and hip-hop and arguably all music is a reflection of the dominant larger culture that is truly obsessed with violence, sex, addiction, and the victimization of women of all colors. Why aren’t their more frequent discussions about these issues as opposed to the “problem with rap music” or as I hear it “the problem with black people.” Furthermore, there needs to be a racial and economic examination of the control over music and how that affects the music we listen to everyday. When individuals who have never been violent, never lived in the “projects,” never been victims of drug abuse, never engaged in criminal activity are coerced to reflect these negative images as a means to sell records this further destroys not only black people but the reflection of blacks to other cultures. This is to say that white executives directly control and benefit from thug imagery to the point that being a womanizing thug with bling has been popularized and glorified in the black community. This to me is a criminal offense and I would prefer a forum on how we are going to make these executives accountable.

3. What the hell is “conscious rap”? Okay, I use the term myself to differentiate between artists I think are talented and artists I think are….WHACK! By its very definition hip-hop is consciousness. I am just tired of hearing the same old names of Talib, Mos Def and Lupe. The use of derogatory descriptions of women does not make an artist a “non-conscious” rapper. The truth is that the majority of artists are consciously reflecting their lived experiences from the larger culture and that may very well mean wanting to kill someone, wanting to demoralize women and wanting all the money in the world. Isn’t that what we have come to know at the American way?

legalizing drugs

so i came across a segment on the people's channel tonight that sparked my interest.

it was about a group called LEAP...Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.  It basically spoke to how the best 'accomplishment' the war on drugs has had on our nation is that of a ridiculously disproportionate amount of black men in jail and an underground market of drug cartels and gangs.  congrats to our federal government for that one.

their website is pretty interesting...go figure i'd never heard of them before...but i think it definitely falls into the realm of feminism.

take a look: LEAP

I am a Community Organizer

In response to the scornful comments made about community organizers at the Republican National Convention last week, bloggers have chosen to blog today on the hard, thankless, never ending, oh so important work of community organizers. In honor of all the contributors at I Am Suing Patriarchy and countless others I am fortunate to call friends and commrades, I want to take a moment give thanks for community organizers.

Community organizers have been at the root of any social change. While it can take many forms such as protests, petitioning, advocating, celebrations, canvassing, educating, registering voters, vigils, fundraising, marching, church meetings, neighborhood watches, government funded organizations, non-profits who rely solely on donations and volunteers, letter writing campaigns, feeding those without food, speaking for those who are not heard, listening to someone share her/his story, and many other ways, it always is done by working with people in the community. Community organizers are the first to respond to injustices that unfairly target certain groups of people. They are often from the community they are advocating for, providing an authentic voice in an ever-increasing world of meaningless quips and political banter. While politicians talk about their "real responsibility", it is the community organizers who suffer with the community when policies fail and promises are broken.

It was community organizers who first questioned the rule of England in what would become the United States. It was community organizers that developed the Underground Railroad and demanded that all be free in this country. It was community organizers who insisted that people of color and women have the right to vote. It was community organizers who advocated against child labor and for adequate public education. It was community organizers who saw a need to support the disadvantaged in our country and created social services. It was community organizers who fought for civil rights throughout history for countless groups. It was community organizers who demanded that women have a choice about their bodies and when they have children. It was community organizers who spoke out about the violence perpetrated on targeted groups. It was community organizers who protested war after war, and it was community organizers that advocated for veterens who were forgotten by the country who asked them to sacrifice all. It was community organizers who believed that everyone has the right to practice the faith of their choice and called upon our government to create a separation of church and state. It was community organizers who protected and supported when all others turned a blind eye. It was community organizers that fought for every right you have.

It will be community organizers that make sure you have your needs met should you not be financially able to. It will be community organizers that help you raise your voice high so that you are not forgotten about in our society and government. It will be community organizers that work to protect you should you be violently targeted for your identity. It will be community organizers who demand that your vote count. It will be community organizers who fight for your right to equal and adequate resources. It will be community organizers who demand that you have healthcare regardless of whether you can pay or not. It will be community organizers that insist on your right to age with dignity and proper support. It will be community organizers who work to ensure that you always have a choice. It will be community organizers who protect you from government corruption. It will be community organizers who will demand access to healthy and non-toxic foods and products for you. It will be community organizers who will fight for you when you cannot. It will be community organizers who stand by you when others walk away.

It would be easy for me to launch into a diatribe against the Republicans and promote the agenda of the Democratic party, but that's not what I want to do today. I want to take a moment to reflect on the deep saddness I felt when hearing government leaders mock the hard work and history of so many in this country. I think of all those people, both past and present, who never had a convention in their honor or even heard so much as a thank you from these leaders for doing the work that should have already been done by the government tasked with protecting us all. It frightens me that current leaders are so out of touch with the people in this nation that they would revel in their privileged status on television while many that night went to bed worrying about when they will get a job, where tomorrow's meals will come from, what to do if they get sick, or how to go on another day in a society that systematically denys them protection and equal rights. The remarks that night prove to me that there is still so much work to be done. No matter who wins the election in November, we must all continue to fight for what is rightfully ours and hold our government to the standards of nothing but excellence. Although we were mocked and disparaged that night, I know I am a small part of a great history of people who cared enough to do something when injustice occured.

I am proud to be a community organizer.

sexuality

i am sick of viva viagra commercials.  other than realizing that pornography is mentally, emotionally and physically harmful to women in particular but also to men and engaging in healthier forms of sexual intimacy...i'm pretty sure men don't need any help with embracing their sexuality.

HELLOOOO where are the sexuality related commercials for women???  i'd really appreciate a few "Best Vibrator" or "Women's Pleasure" or "Healthier Intimacy" commercials dispersed around CNN, ABC, Fox, etc. as much as I see those stupid viagra commercials.

get with it. for real.

ok, i'm done. for now.

here's a sexuality site that i find quite intriguing: yay learning about our bodies and relationships!