ziggybabie
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Mar 6, 2005, 11:54 AM
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Hip-Hop: Race, Religion, & Sexual Orientation
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Look, I'm not a very political person. And to say I don't always properly word myself is an understatement. And I'm not gonna lie. Lately (the last year), I've been very antisocial. But what I'm about to say is more social than political. These are just another asshole's opinions. Read if you feel like it and comment. Discrimination is a horrible thing to have to face. Discriminating on others is something that everyone does to some degree on something, though. Even if they don't realize that they are doing it. And everyone is also on the other end of discrimination at some point in their lives. However, the three main things that are used as factors of discrimination that stood out with me, anyway are race, religion, and sexual orientation. Being a white somewhat (70/30 towards women) bisexual male who has no particular religious views himself, here is where I am coming from.
RACE: As far as race goes, both hip-hop and rock are very multicultural. However, on the larger scope, let me look at a few things that have been different between the two genres. First, the "n word" or nigger. It continues to be seen as an offensive word due to it's history. However, "nigga" spelled with an a is used in a different context now and is usually acceptable by most to a certain degree. "Nigga" started out as , an offshoot of nigger and was twisted around as a proud symbol of defiance and unity by African Americans against those who once oppressed them. Still, as I said, nigger is offensive. I guess picking on white people is not as big of a deal, though. Flash back to Ice Cube during the "Amerikkka's Most Wanted" LP and his earlier solo years. He was a mainstream icon idolized even by many white boys. At the same time, he spat some of the most blatantly anti-white racial slurs ever heard from an artist who received so much mainstream attention. He rapped about raping white women and "killing more crackers than Boznia-Hergozevena". Now, yes, there are white artists that do the same thing, like David Allen Coe. But I'm sure if he had the kind of mainstream exposure Cube received, there would have been riots. So...what is the difference? This only served to hurt race relations more. (1) I know this was way back in the the 80s. However, there is still a double standard that exists even today. There seems to be a different set of unspoken rules that whites have to apply to where rap and pop culture are concerned. Take all these lighthearted joke lyrics talking about "white boys", for example.
If a white rapper were to mirror those same supposedly lighthearted joking flows, often, he would be in deep shit. It's as if whites aren't supposed to challenge this or we are made to look racists ourselves. Even on something like the Chapelle Show, where he picks on EVERYONE, a white guy couldn't go that far that often without feeling the backlash. In this way, some see black culture as trying to claim superiority. Once again, this kind of double standard does not help racism at all. Personally, to me slavery ended a long time ago. Nigger, cracker, fag, dike, honky, kike, whatever. This is the new millenium. If everyone else is allowed free-run on the race card, white people should have the same right. It makes us look like a weakass third class race, otherwise. And fuels the fire for anti-black racists. Maybe we should have a white answer to Chapelle to help set the balance back. Nothing's off limits, including the entire race card. Have one of us go out and do the Chris Rock routine. 50 black jokes, one after another.
I guess I'd agree that powerful conservative whites are the cause of much of the tension between races and could do a lot more for poorer areas' crime, drug, poverty, and gangridden neighborhoods. Such as more jobs. But I don't know enough about politics and economy to go there, so whatever. And obviously, I'm not ignorant of the common known fact that whites have been the oppressor, historically speaking, in the past. Of course, those African Americans who currently promote the gang lifestyle don't have to add to the problems of their hoods. There are those individuals who come from the same hoods and go more positive routes. So these criminals, drug dealers, and gangbangers saying they are all just a product of their environment is bull, though sometimes it may be really hard. Back to the rap thing, when people like 50 Cent are the top selling thing in rap, it does nothing but promote a negative stereotype of the entire genre. It's not him so much as it is the way the white dominated media seems to look away at criminal behavior and call it being multicultural. As if he's just being black. I know some intelligent African Americans find this insulting. If anything, this hurts race relations more than helps by, once again enforcing negative stereotypes for people who are already racist to begin with. Bragging about being shot nine times should not be a good thing. Too bad someone had bad aim. Regardless of whether or not he's a product of his environment, we don't need more rappers like him to be celebrities right now. It's extremely counter-productive to the black struggle.
RELIGION: To me, there are two types of Christianity that I like to separate by two opposing aspects. The first likes to actually follow the good, positive messages the Bible has to offer and if they don't agree with something in their community, they try to maintain a goodhearted Christian attitude and try to take on things the proper Christian way. The second is a hate cult, nothing more, nothing less. The churches that like to focus the sole attention more on hellfire and brimstone, hate, and general negativity towards any morality that opposes their own singular views. There is the third type, but they're not Christians. They just use the name while knowing nothing of their professed faith. Maybe since I don't believe in anything, some would call my views warped. Just the other day, I heard some older Christian woman, who I'll call Betty, say once, "I don't have a problem as long as you believe in some form of God". According to her Bible, though, worshippers of other faiths are sinning by worshipping false gods. The reason she sounded so arrogant to me was that if she felt so strongly about her god, then why can't she convert these other "sinners" to her faith? What makes my total indifference and undecisiveness worse? Neither me, nor a devote Muslim worship Jesus.
I think that what it boils down to is that people like Betty only RELUCTANTLY accept these other faiths nowadays to sound politically correct and well-adopted to this society that is growing more multicultural as time progresses. Now, where rock music is concerned, you will always have many Christian artists. However, you also see many other different views represented by the artists that have made some level of mainstream success. Artists like Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails and many old school punk bands tried to push the idea to look at faith from an objective standpoint. Now, in rap, on the other hand, you see twenty billion rappers who will sing one song about Jesus on an album after ten or more songs about drivebys, drugs, objectifying women, and so forth. It's more of a fashion trend than a true "revelation" on their part. Many of them never even thought about it. I'm cool with ANY other opinions than mine, but for an individual or group who has believed whatever they have been told as far as religion goes, it gives them so much less credibility to mock any other belief systems. If you happen to be one of those first types of Christians, I mean no disrespect. I honestly believe if people can accept atheism or the most "extreme" religions, to larger degrees, it will help them accept the others gradually, and help knock down some walls and bring more understanding, or at least tolerance.
I realize that everyone will not tolerate everything. That's what makes us human. I don't agree with the way some Hindu nations treat animals,for instance. But, have you ever looked into the way we make veal here in the States? But, I would like to see other views and more religious diversity in the rap that is pushed by the mainstream. Hear more artists spitting other sides of the equation. Or even Christian rappers preaching more religious diversity. I just think it would help to combat hate. Not to sound overly corny "We are the world, We are the children" or anything, though. Once I have the time to devote the countless hours daily needed to study, my own views might change. One thing that will not, though, is that I will still not use any beliefs as a tool for hatred, irregardless.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Now, as far as rock goes, many artists lyrics are somewhat abstract and you have to get your own meaning from them. However, more often, rap is a much more simple form of expression, as far as saying exactly what they mean and leaving less doubt. Once again, there are exceptions to this, but most of the mindless thug or crunk rappers that are big are more blunt and loud than "artistic". Now, I know homophobia in black communities is due to many factors. (2) Here's my thing. In rock music, there has always been a certain air of rebelling against the "status quo". There has also been prog rock, and hippies and a whole peace love vibe that many fans of different genres felt. It's why more rock fans were willing to give rap a chance than vice versa. Much of what I listened to that helped influence my own moral structure is goth club music that varied from Prince, Depeche Mode, and Duran Duran to White Zombie, Ministry and Rammstein to a lot of industrial dance, house and techno. And even a lot of rap-rock like Kid Rock and Cypress Hill's "Skull and Bones" album. Granted, there are many homophobes in rock crowds, too. But it's even harder for someone whose friends are all hip-hop heads to come out of the closet and be proud of who he is. Especially a gay black man. Of course, a black lesbian is going to face discrimination, also, but not to the same degree. Lesbians are not as often victims of hate crimes and are more often accepted, if they're "hot".
Yes, certain rappers, like 2Pac, preached love, but noone addressed issues of homo/bisexuality from other stances than moronic mindless namecalling, ever. In rock, Rob Halford (Judas Priest) came out as openly gay and it still didn't affect his popularity. Also, David Bowie has openly admitted that he was bisexual and he is also, still extremely successful. Then there are straight artists like Manson who portray a homoerotic image. He sang hard edged music and almost gave an alternative/hardcore view of bi/homosexuality that was in direct opposition to the media and rap portrayed helpless sissy image. A character that is genderless, as he tried to portray on certain albums. It seems that much of the current mainstream rap scene is built on homophobia and mysogeny. How do you make your opponent look like less of a man? Call him a "faggot". In rap, it's a safe bet to say some of these rappers probably done some dl shit, but the difference is, they have to keep it on the dl. Hip-hop isn't as open an environment as rock crowds on the whole. Instead of bitching about this, though, I think it would be better for some gay rappers to receive mainstream play. Of course, if I could say only one thing to these rappers, it would be something that they probably should already know. I would say this to them: "Have songs that apply to everyone and the shit that's too serious and cerebral won't probably sell."
I think Deadlee, a gay rapper who still maintains a somewhat hard thug image, and integrates rock elements into his music in a way that still sounds credible, would have more of a chance with a straight crowd. Bizarre, from D12, is almost doing a Manson, in that he's straight, but he's portraying an (joking) image that bisexuality is something other than a "pussy". Most adrenaline charged cocky young males could be made to accept the humorous "freak" image more than they would the wimpy "sissy" girlie gay guy. Not saying they'd turn gay, just maybe be more accepting of gay/bi guys and possibly have a sense of humor about it. I have nothing personal against the overly fem gays, but they are not the ones that we need to see even more of in mainstream culture right now. Sexuality is really more complex than labels of gay, bi, straight or whatever, with many people. To fully go into that would go above most of the more fickle macho homophobic types' heads' though. It's like talking advanced calculus to someone whose deafly afraid to even think about beginning level algebra. In rap, we've already heard the homophobes side of the arguement. It went something like "Uh-faggot niggas- blah blah- I hate faggots!" Wow, impressive. OK, now it's their turn to spit back and represent.
If anyone could comment, I'd appreciate it.
"GOTH": Also, on another note. I said on another forum that everyone picks on goth kids, not just fans of hip-hop, but here's my thing. Gothic style is just another trend, like hip-hop clothing, jeans that are three sizes too big for your ass, and hundred dollar namebrand shoes. It's just not the popular trend. Chances are more likely that the goth guy likes the way he dresses. I gotta laugh at the term thug being associated with hip-hop style. These heavily tattooed biker types, now THEY look like real "thugs". Not these punkass conformists who wear sports jerseys or all this name brand rich kid clothing. Yeah, that looks real "thugged out" and intimidating. The goth look is more rough "thug" than the Sears Roebuck look. And at least the goth kid's obviously not dressing the way he does to get pussy or because it's popular with the masses or he'd be into the rap shit.
You can't automatically judge any individual you don't know, but many of these white boys are just into rap and hip-hop style mainly due to it's popularity and would probably walk around in any number of retarded things if their friends started to imitate some rapper they seen on MTV. You know, the ones I mean. The trendie kids who'd ditch hip-hop in a millisecond if a new trend caught on and hip-hop weren't "cool" any more. And they're gonna laugh at the goth guy. I just see why some of my old friends liked to fuck with these fickle jerkoffs on occasion. And goth is just as multicultural as rap, with many black goths. Tricky is a black artist who has serious gothic style and leanings, as did Prince in some of his earlier androgynous days. It's also stupid that when just one goth kid goes off and does some crazy shit, he's a celebrity (Columbine), but these "gangsta" youths in poorer hoods can shoot twenty people and the media doesn't get all huffy like that.
I know that a lot of this is racial. The media don't care as much if poor ghetto blacks shoot each other. If white kids are in danger, though hold the press. "We must do something!". In my local area some big BLACK goth guy that my brother went to school with was recently on the news for killing a white girl. He was an instant celebrity. I do think goth gets unfair categorization as a violent subculture by mainstream society. Like I said, if you're gonna think that, why not include rap? Just because it's popular with yuppie kids? You constantly hear about some rapper getting shot. Thank you for your time.
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