Date: April 29, 2011
Time: 10:46 a.m.
Now Playing: @ask_her_she_know, Friday the 13th, "Tickin, Tickin, Tickin"
O.k. I'll admit it. When I first got to Atlanta in 2008, I could barely stomach Atlanta radio. It seemed that every other month there was some new artist named "Lil' something or another who came out with some song with a crazy beat and no lyrical substance that became the rage of the city. It'd typically take me about two weeks to actually decipher what the Lils were saying in the hooks (this still happens--for over a month, I thought "racks on racks" was "wax on wax"), and when I got around to listening to what they were saying in the verses, I was left feeling confused (literally) and/or saddened by the state of hip hop.
But, after 3 years of living in Atlanta, I have come to appreciate the music I used to hate. You just have to take it for what it is. A dope beat, a catchy hook, and a banging delivery. In fact, I have been seen rocking out to the most ignorant of songs in spots throughout the City of Atlanta. For sure, I need say only one word: Waka.
Recently, though, I have noticed that every other song that comes on 107.9 or 103.3 seems to devalue women. I mean, think about it. Let's look at two of the top ten songs in circulation on Atlanta radio right now: Rocko, "Goin Steady" and Tity Boi/Yo Gotti, "Boo" (otherwise known as "I don't know her whole name.")
Excerpt from "Goin Steady"
Sorry if you read me wrong
I told you what you wanted to hear
Sorry if I led you on
Yeah that pussy good
Girl I aint gonna lie
But if you were looking for a dude girl, I aint yo guy
I'm not gonna come over every day
I'm not gonna talk to you
On the phone all the time you fuckin stalker you
I aint trynna be rude but I aint tryna eat your food
Imma keep it funky with you girl, we aint that cool
Excerpt from "Boo"
I just call her boo
I don't know her whole name
Keep it on the low man
All we eat is lo mein
Came from the block
Now i gotta whole thang
And you betta put a low jack on yo hoe mane
First things first. I'm not gonna lie--both songs go hard. They're catchy, and they get shit jumpin--whether you're in the car or in the club. I liked them both when I first heard them, and--consistent with my approach towards Atlanta hip-hop--I didn't give too much thought to the words. But one sunny day a few weeks ago, I was in the car, feeling good, listening to the radio, and "Goin Steady" came on, followed by "Boo." All of a sudden, I was disgusted by the lyrics and what they represented. So I changed stations from 103.3 to 107.9, and, to my surprise, and increased disgust, "Goin Steady" was on, and was followed by "Boo." I turned the radio off, popped in my Rihanna CD, and can count the times I've turned the radio on since.
I mean, what does it say that so much of the local hip hop music we are innodated with in Atlanta seems to disrespect and/or devalue women? Is it a matter of art imitating life, or is the end result, the converse: life imitating art?
When I spoke to my female friends about what they thought about this, they pretty much had the same response I had: Why are there SO MANY songs out right now that are spewing this degrading women mentality?
When I spoke to my male friends, however, they had a different response. They didn't try to defend the music itself. Rather, they told me the unthinkable: That the songs are reflective of how things are actually going down in the streets of the A.
Perhaps this is true. In fact, the more I think about it, I am certain that it is. But maybe that's the problem. I mean, Gucci Mane tossed a woman out of a moving car. Just because it actually happened, does not make it acceptable. And it definitely shouldn't be glorified. But alas, I have no doubt, that in the coming weeks, a new record called "Throw that Hoe Out the Hummer" will in heavy rotation on Atlanta radio. And the streets will be bumpin it hard. smh.
Date: April 29, 2011
Time: 12:24 p.m.
Now Playing: Lloyd, King of Hearts, "Cupid"
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