Sunday, June 24, 2007

Hip hop language

Because i'm not working right now, I have time to watch tv. This is a blessing and a curse. However, I did see part 2 of a dialogue series that included some of the older hip hop artists as well as some other people that I have no idea who they are. Anyway, the point was that they were discussing the use of the words b***ch and ho in rap and hip hop music. One of the older artists said that the constant use of these words was due to a poor upbringing and that it could only be changed by making all people not poor (basically). And Oprah was going WHAT! You, as record label people, and we as consumers, if we refuse to buy them, tell them to clean up, then they will. They held it up to Don Imus as if there was any comparison. I really don't agree, I say there has always been, even before there were separate races, or any other separation, that women were considered less, because men have some sort of inferiority complex or something. I have always been less than appreciative of anyone who stomps all over anyone else to get somewhere, even if it's for their own satisfaction. And women, perhaps because we've been treated as less since the dawn of time by our equals, somehow don't stick up for ourselves and for each other enough. I don't think it's alright to call women b***ch or ho either one, one is the name reserved for an animal, and the other is one that is diminuitive of the word whore, which in essence is reserved for women who have multiple sexual partners-possibly for a living. So instead of being a great woman, who may be a wife, mother, caregiver, teacher, activist, or saint, we're taken down to an animalistic, or the level of one who works the streets for a living. I find it unfair that every woman, should in one stroke, be taken down to such a level. And, would any of those hip hop artists call their mother, or sister something like that? I think not. And then, these fabulous men on the panel, are saying, oh we all have daughters, we tell her she's a goddess that she can do or be whatever she wants, that she should be treated with respect. But then they don't seem to want to do anything about it. They just say, oh well, they will have records sold anyway, we can't do anything. Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth. So a quest: Stand up for your sisters, no matter the race, profession or ideals. Don't just tell your daughter she's a goddess, show her respect, demand that BOTH of you be treated with respect, always show respect to others of us out there in the world. Maybe with them will come the mutual command for respect that they deserve.

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