IN THE 1950's, a young man from Tennessee fused black and white music styles to create a sound never heard before. Elvis Pressley shocked America and the world with his lyrics and his serpentine shake, changing the sound of music forever.
Now, though, the "Hound Dog" has become the "bitch," and the pseudo-artists of today are not talking about puppies.
Rappers dominate the popular music scene today with misogynistic, violent lyrics. The only thing more appalling than the lyrics is the desensitization of its listeners. Middle-school girls sing along to 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" while knowing full well that the artist isn't talking about a Willy Wonka creation. According to an article printed in The Economist, Jay-Z and others are boycotting the champagne brand Cristal because its managing director expressed dismay at how the brand has become associated with gangsters and rappers. But if these artists want to be respected, they need to deserve it, and this means producing lyrics with more meaning and art than hyperbolic slurs about money and whores.
Hip-hop can be a true art form, an expression of emotions largely associated with those who feel disenfranchised and frustrated in this country. Some people disparage it for its lack of musical complexity. To many ears, hip-hop sounds like a lot of bass and lyrical repetition, as exemplified by Rick Ross's summer hit, "Hustlin'," in which he thuggishly intones "Everyday I'm hustlin" 20 times over.
But some hip-hop can really give voice to a people. Tupac's "Changes" is a beautiful and meaningful song about racism and how people -- black and white -- need to learn to treat each other with respect.
But few popular rap artists seem to be singing about life's complexities nowadays. Most songs, with an unabashed lack of subtlety, are about casual sex, killing people, how much money the rappers have and how shiny their "grillz" are. It is ludicrous (note the proper spelling) to think these entertainers feel slighted when respectable people don't want them representing their brand.
Bleeding-heart liberals and minority groups are quick to attack any white person who dares to criticize the actions of a non-dominant group. But the hip-hop culture is ubiquitous, and certainly impressionable children cannot escape from it without having constant parental supervision. In a study done by the University of Alabama, researchers concluded that "exposure to rap laden with sexual imagery fostered distinctly unfavorable evaluations of black women." Certainly this is not the goal of parents who want to instill a good moral foundation in their children, be they black or white.
Of course, black male rappers don't have a monopoly on tasteless lyrics. Others -- such as Eminem, Fat Joe and even female rappers -- compose lyrics that aren't fit to publish. Eminem contributes to the music community by asking, "My middle finger won't go down, How do I wave?"
This is in no way an implicit argument for censorship. In that regard, the cure would be far worse than the disease. But if these rappers and the young people who idolize them want to rise from the counterculture, they need to use their voices in ways that do not denigrate women -- or themselves.
Jay-Z called the comments made by the representative of Cristal "racist." Actually, the representative said, "We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business." Cristal simply doesn't want to associate with the culture rappers glorify.
Let's think about this in business terms. After all, Jay-Z is a millionaire businessman himself. A bottle of Cristal sells for around $200, which means most of its market consists of wealthy people who can afford such expensive champagnes. When Jay-Z raps "Let's sip the Cris and get pissy-pissy," this detracts from the prestige of the brand as a status symbol.
So many of these rappers, like Jay-Z, bemoan the lack of respect other wealthy people like the owners of Cristal give them. They think it's just resentment: the white culture's refusal to allow black people to move up in the world. But there's a reason other wealthy people like Oprah, who has never hosted a rapper on her show, won't associate with them. A song about whores and murder might increase a rapper's bank balance, but it'll never earn him respect.
Marta Cook's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at mcook@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
EDITORIAL: Carla Williams deserves her seat at the table
By Editorial Board | YesterdayLooking beyond basketball and football reveals that Virginia Athletics is, in many ways, thriving.
UPADHYAYA: The Great and not-so-Good sides of U.Va.’s 2030 housing plan
By Apal Upadhyaya | 4 days agoInstead of improving the dire state of existing infrastructure, however, the University has shifted attention away from it and chosen to expand.
EDITORIAL: Support low-barrier shelters in Charlottesville
By Editorial Board | 5 days agoInvesting in low-barrier shelters now will pay off in increased stability for the homeless, which will undoubtedly improve the safety of shelters and the community writ large.
