Recently, an article titled “Straight Outta Rape Culture” was published by The Huffington Post scrutinizing the hip-hop group N.W.A. for its violent lyrics. Though now an inactive hip-hop group, a biopic on N.W.A. was released only last week, telling the stories of the rap group's members and their experiences with life and music.
In a society where black men have historically defended themselves against racism, they have become perpetrators of violent acts stemming from self-defense mechanisms. Racism has led to them losing opportunities for upward mobility; thus, they cannot be the only ones put to blame for their violent behavior. So, before we shame black rap groups like N.W.A. from the "Straight Outta Compton" movie for violent and misogynistic lyrics, we should consider these questions:
Why is gang violence "prevalent" in black communities?
Black males have always struggled to protect themselves against structural brutality and racism. The Black Panthers of the progressive Civil Rights Movement, gave rise to the Bloods and Crips as people who attempted to "protect their streets." Other gangs (such as the Mafia) are still prevalent today although you may not see them on the news.
Why are black males portrayed as violent and misogynistic?
Think: power dynamics. White males control 85 percent of American media, thus terms like "gangster" have been used more on blacks. Violence against women and female submissiveness have been portrayed in white-Hollywood productions such as "50 Shades of Grey" (BDSM), as well as modeling companies whereby women are shown in weak poses. White men are usually not questioned for exhibiting such behavior, but black males are.
Why is it okay for rappers to intentionally make misogynistic music?
It's not. But when black males are barely represented in the media, what other black figures exist for black males going to look up to? While N.W.A. says, “Cuz there’s a slight chance... I might have to shoot da hoe,” Pink Floyd sings: "Don’t leave me now/When you know how I need you/To beat to a pulp on a Saturday night." It’s not only rap songs that have such misogynistic lyrics.
What are the challenges we face?
Try better to analyze the music. Think: "should I take these lyrics literally?" Oftentimes, rappers express themselves through lyrics targeting certain people or ideas. Rapper Kendrick Lamar has many satirical songs, allowing the youth to question their actions. In "Backstreet Freestyle" he raps, "Martin [MLK] had a dream/Kendrick have a dream," and raps about how as a child he had wanted power and sex while forgetting about his duty of educating himself and others. His video:
Hip-hop CAN be a solution to several problems.
Black males are not the only perpetrators of violence, but some violence exhibited by black males is part of a greater social problem rising from racism that results in oppression, poverty, etc. It is important to teach all men that violence and misogyny are wrong, but rather than accusing the abuser, accuse the abuse itself. It is easy to internalize violence in daily situations, even in unnecessary circumstances, when one's community has also adapted to utilizing it during hard times. So look at the historical system of oppression in order to solve current problems. In order to prevent violence we must first prevent racism. Go see "Straight Outta Compton" with an open mind.
