There are a few things I want to share with you today. =]
1. My absolute favorite rapper if not musical artist and feminist and activist against violence particularly in my hometown of Chicago, Lupe Fiasco is possibly retiring. Other rappers in Chicago have been hostile towards him after the release of his song Bitch Bad
Lupe said he wanted to start a social dialogue with this song. Do you think he is challenging the use of the word 'bitch' in hip hop?
First check out the video if you have yet to see it: Bitch Bad by Lupe Fiasco video
And here are the lyrics:
[Intro]
Yeah, I say
Bitch bad, woman good, lady better
Hey, hey
Hey, hey
[Verse 1]
Now imagine there's a shorty, maybe five maybe four
Ridin' 'round with his mama listening to the radio
And a song comes on and a not far off from being born
Doesn't know the difference between right and wrong
Now I ain't trying to make it too complex
But let's just say shorty has an undeveloped context
About the perception of women these days
His mama sings along and this what she says
"Niggas, I'm a bad bitch, and I'm that bitch
Something that's far above average"
And maybe other rhyming words like cabbage and savage
And baby carriage and other things that match it
Couple of things are happenin' here
First he's relatin' the word "bitch" with his mama - comma
And because she's relatin' to herself, his most important source of help
And mental health, he may skew respect for dishonor
Bitch bad, woman good
Lady better, they misunderstood
(I'm killin' these bitches)
Uh, tell 'em
Bitch bad, woman good
Lady better, they misunderstood
They misunderstood
[Verse 2]
Yeah, now imagine a group of little girls nine through twelve
On the internet watchin' videos listenin' to songs by themselves
It doesn't really matter if they have parental clearance
They understand the internet better than their parents
Now being the internet, the content's probably uncensored
They're young, so they're malleable and probably unmentored
A complicated combination, maybe with no relevance
Until that intelligence meets their favorite singer's preference
"Bad bitches, bad bitches, bad bitches
That's all I want and all I like in life is bad bitches, bad bitches"
Now let's say that they less concerned with him
And more with the video girl acquiescent to his whims
Ah, the plot thickens
High heels, long hair, fat booty, slim
Reality check, I'm not trippin'
They don't see a paid actress, just what makes a bad bitch
[Verse 3]
Disclaimer: this rhymer, Lupe, is not usin' "bitch" as a lesson
But as a psychological weapon
To set in your mind and really mess with your conceptions
Discretions, reflections, it's clever misdirection
Cause, while I was rappin' they was growin' up fast
Nobody stepped in to ever slow 'em up, gasp
Sure enough, in this little world
The little boy meets one of those little girls
And he thinks she a bad bitch and she thinks she a bad bitch
He thinks disrespectfully, she thinks of that sexually
She got the wrong idea, he don't wanna fuck her
He think she's bad at bein' a bitch, like his mother
Momma never dressed like that, come out the house hot mess like that
Ass, titties, breasts like that, all out to impress like that
Just like that, you see the fruit of the confusion
He caught in a reality, she caught in an illusion
Bad mean good to her, she really nice and smart
But bad mean bad to him, bitch don't play your part
But bitch still bad to her if you say it the wrong way
But she think she a bitch, what a double entendre
[Outro: MDMA]
Bitch bad, woman good, lady better
They misunderstood
You're misunderstood (I'm killin' these bitches)
Bitch bad, woman good, lady better
Greatest mother hoood (I'm killin' these bitches)
What does everyone think about the word 'bitch' being reapropriated? Bitch magazine is awesome and here's why they decided to title their feminist magazine with such a controversial word:
"For as long as we’ve been publishing Bitch, there’s one question that gets asked over and over. And over. “Why did you choose that word as the name of your magazine?” While we’re aware that the magazine’s title, and the organization’s name, is off-putting to some people, we think it’s worth it. And here’s why.
The writer Rebecca West said, “People call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” We’d argue that the word “bitch” is usually deployed for the same purpose. When it’s being used as an insult, “bitch” is an epithet hurled at women who speak their minds, who have opinions and don’t shy away from expressing them, and who don’t sit by and smile uncomfortably if they’re bothered or offended. If being an outspoken woman means being a bitch, we’ll take that as a compliment.
We know that not everyone’s down with the term. Believe us, we’ve heard all about it. But we stand firm in our belief that if we choose to reappropriate the word, it loses its power to hurt us. And if we can get people thinking about what they’re saying when they use the word, that’s even better.
Bitch. It’s a noun. It’s a verb. It’s a magazine. It’s a feminist media organization."
Either way, I don't think expressing your opinions artistically warrant the negative attention Lupe has received. When Lupe says "my problem is i'm peaceful.. and i believe in the people" it's SO INCREDIBLY SAD that that's a problem... It certainly shouldn't be. I say, let's stand up with Lupes!
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| At Occupy Chicago. |
Here is what he tweeted after the attacks referring to his song: @LupeFiasco
@LupeFiasco Lupe Fiasco
i'd die for them...but they'd probably spit on my grave...i still will die for them...just bury me in a place far from their reach...Amin
@LupeFiasco Lupe Fiasco
This album will probably be my last...its been a pleasure to have all my fans provide so much love an inspiration for me and my family
@LupeFiasco Lupe Fiasco
but my heart is broken and i see no comfort further along this path only more pain. I cannot participate any longer in this...
@LupeFiasco Lupe Fiasco
My first true love was literature so i will return to that...lupe fiasco ends here...
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