Comments on: Video of the Day

By: Collin

Collin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:09:42 +0000

I think it is rather ironic that Miss Aisha consigns to the same hypermasculine rhetoric to compose her song that she is fundamentally trying to critique. She reminds me of someone like Lil’ Kim or Foxy Brown in her method of delivery and voice. Everytime i hear Lil Kim i hear Biggie’s voice echoed. Women have had to agree to conditions of either being objectified or sounding like men for subjectivity and visibility in rap music. And if Aisha is indeed critiquing how black male rappers have sold their souls to the capitalist machine by performing commodified urban black masculinity, her hypermasculine, homophobic, and sexist rhetoric alone puts her in the same camp. So maybe she needs to look at the wo(man?) in the mirror.

I think her intentions are well…however, i digress in saying that she has been given language that many academics or those with access to various literacies and critical race theories have learned to adequately express ideas about race and capitalism with acuity. She, as NAS does in his “Open Letter to Young Chicago Warriors”, is using the language that she has to interpret and critique black masculinity in hip hop. I believe we have to think about her location (geographical, economic, education, etc…) and take these things into consideration when understanding how she is “reading the world” and more specifically reading black masculinity…however limited that location may be. And i also think that our concern should not primarily be with what she says, but rather with what she does as a rapper. She needs to know that she doesn’t have to use hypermasculine rhetoric in order to have female agency in hip hop as a rapper. And if she feels that she does and continues to wear the coat, then she just like her brothas aid in perpetuating the capitalist machine.

We might ask her how can she channel her ingenuity as a lyricist to redefine her identity as a woman rapper beyond the acerbic rhetoric of hate, homophobia, and sexism…all of which have become calling cards in black masculine gangsta rap? There have been female rappers successful at this (Eve, Lauryn Hill, Salt n’ Peppa). Ultimately, her rhetorical delivery alone indicates that there needs to be a self healing and self love before she can truly be effective in critiquing brothas for selling out in order to make some dough.

These are just my thoughts
Collin Craig

By: ~JJG~

~JJG~ — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:36:36 +0000

Truth-Hurts, question: What line (frat) did you get dropped from?

By: CROATIAN PIMP

CROATIAN PIMP — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:19:33 +0000

I AGREE WITH THIS SONG BUT THEN I DONT 4 EXAMPLE THEY FELL IF A BLACK MAN MAKES 6 MIL N THE WHITE MAKES 7 MIL THE SONG IS PISSED BOUT IT I MEAN THERE IS STILL MODERN SLAVERY TO A EXTENT

By: TRUTH-HURTS

TRUTH-HURTS — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:11:08 +0000

@JJG.. I bet you’re part of that ALPHA bullshit; that’s probably why you think the song s ignorant..THIS IS THE BEST RAP SONG I’VE HEARD THIS YEAR.. Get your facts right and go read a book about the fraternity and sorority you lame ass brothers and sisters sell your soul to.

By: Logic

Logic — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:20:33 +0000

I think I will use this on my site. It is definitely discussion worthy.

It’s weird, there are some good elements and messages as well as negative and troubling words.

By: Mrs. Rivers

Mrs. Rivers — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:52:54 +0000

the song is terrible. but i do get what she’s trying to say….she’s just not saying it right.

By: Bitter Brother

Bitter Brother — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:10:21 +0000

JJG,
When I say I appreciate the candor, I simply mean that her song isn’t anything outside the typical alarming rhetoric that is a mainstay in commercial hip-hop. Ive cited the reason why I object to the song, which if I wanted to expound on them I would agree with some of your points. However, I dont feel it is totally devoid of value as it somewhat redeems itself by addressing the detriment that misoginy and excess commercialism poses to our people.

By: ~JJG~

~JJG~ — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:34:08 +0000

Bitter Brother, I’m sorry, but I think you are far too intelligent to echo the words “I appreciate candor” in relation to this video.

By: Bitter Brother

Bitter Brother — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:58:48 +0000

Although I disagree with a lot of the language she used, there is still a great message embedded in the song about the collective mindsets of an astounding number of African-American youth. Some of our most beloved artists make these same disparaging references to women and homosexuals. It is just done with the use of more appealing metaphors that smuggle them in their music, along with industry standard production. Yet, seldom do we witness so many people decrying this pattern as when someone says them explicitly. I appreciate candor.

By: DCI74

DCI74 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:47:02 +0000

Hmm where do I begin with this one. I am bothered by the intro and her shout out to Malcolm because from the outset she typifies a lot of revolutionary and seemingly social/politically conscious black people because they romanticize him and what they think he stood for with that gun in the window “by any means necessary” BDP album cover image. They completely ignore that he was El Hajj Malik El Shabazz when he was killed and had a much different perspective on life at that time. As a rapper her delivery is pretty garbled and my guess is what she thinks she’s saying is important but it doesn’t come across clear at all.