GWS 201 Blog @andiedoyon-blog - Tumblr Blog

Final- Privacy: Chris Brown

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/chrisbrown/privacy.html

In this final Tumblr post I realized that over the course of this semester my eyes have been opened to the negative effects of media on the feminism, rape culture, hyper-masculinity, violence, and the overall constant sexualizing of the female body. It’s not enough just to say that it permeates in throughout the music sector, but more specifically as we’ve seen the rap industry. Through my analysis, I’ve come to the stark realization that a large majority of male rappers fail to craft anything of artistic appeal that does not relate to one of the previously mentioned themes and frankly…it’s sad. For artists like Jason Derulo, Drake, Kayne West, and Eminem to have such a public outreach to be spreading such crude and degrading musical illustrations of women just reinforces our perceived roles as sexual objects in society. I now give a second thought to the music I consume and therefore support, even if something is catchy.

In my last and final analysis, I looked at the lyrics for infamous Chris Brown’s newest single Privacy. Chris Brown is known for his past linked to sexual violence and still he produces music that supports this same underlying message.

“ I need your body in ways That you don't understand but I'm losing my patience.”

In “losing his patience,” it creates a feeling of tension and fear because in most cases when people (more specifically hyper masculine men) lose their patience it equates to losing your temper and in turn being verbally or physically violent.

“Ayy you, girl, with the tight up skirt Get that ass in the bed, I'm a lock the door Shake that ass like boom shakalaka, boom shakalaka (boom, boom).”

Brown is rapping solely about the physical physique of a woman and the idea of then locking her in a room to “shake that ass like boom shahalaka.” Interesting.

“'Cause you fine, baby And it's alright 'cause you're all mine, baby, ooh, hoo.”

Now he’s referring to her as “baby,” something that we’ve seen many times along with creating the concept of her being his possession.

“Just long as you let me hit it like every night I could give a fuck 'bout the club, 'cause that pussy tight.”

Brown is referring gher to the act of sex as “hitting it,” thus alluding to sexual violence and then further degrade the female body with the ever-reoccurring term “p*ssy.”

#gws201002

iSpy- Kyle ft. Lil Yachty

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kyle/ispy.html

Compared to songs I’ve reviewed in the past Kyle’s “iSpy” could almost be considered tame in a sense. There’s less vulgar imagery, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the song itself is still degrading toward females as well as lacks a degree of artistic appeal after analysis of the lyrics.

“Well maybe a little, baby, I don’t want to lie. I know when you text me girl, I don’t always reply. Well, you’re not an angle either, you can’t even. I notice you think you know shit.”

Having pet names for a girl is something I’ve never really understood. It seems unnecessary to me. No I don’t want to be your baby, girlie, pumpkin, or most of all bitch. Baby implies that I am weak and helpless. I have a name and intellectual thought. I am a person. Not your possession or something you own. There’s a clear definition in being attracted to someone and this attraction turning into a sense of entitlement. Based on his lyrics, Kyle seems like someone who might have a high measure of entitlement.

“I spy with my little eye a girlie I can get ‘cause she don’t get too many likes. A curly-headed cutie I can turn into my wife. Oh wait, that means forever, ever, hold up, never mind.”

The lyric above continues with this same theme of naming a woman. I understand it is not out-right disrespectful or degrading, but it seems like a dominating choice of words.

“She said she twenty-one, I might have to I.D. that. All my bitches come in pairs like balls in my nutsack.”

Not only does he refer to a woman as bitch, but to compare a pair of girls to your testicles is too far. I find it interesting how all of the male rappers I’ve analyzed have this same level of disrespect.

“So, don’t fuck with me. No, lately I’ve been livin’ like luxury…and (swear) on my mother’s mother I won’t fuck a bitch without a damn rubber.”

Again.

And then he goes on to swear on the grave of his grandmother to not “fuck a bitch without a rubber.”

I applaud him for practicing safe sex, but really?

#gws201002

Caroline- Amine

https://www.directlyrics.com/amine-caroline-lyrics.html

“I heard you done got you a dime piece, man Hell naw, man One of them Beyoncé, Meagan Good types, man”

First of all, I’m wouldn’t be okay with someone referring to me as a “dime piece.” I and every other women in the 21st century (or through out history) are PEOPLE. We think. We feel. We absorb these messages on a daily basis. We first think it’s flattery. This is not flattery. Then the artists further raps that the “good types” must be ones who look like Beyoncé or Meagan? He’s saying that there’s one type of attractive body type and that beauty doesn’t fall on a extensive spectrum.

“Bad thang, fine as hell, thick as fuck Oh my god, that's my baby Caroline, you divine Mighty fine Shawty really blow the pipe (that's true) Like a pro”

AND again, he’s referring to whom we suppose is Caroline as “Shawty.” This is a common term used in the rap industry in reference to women. It further marginalizes us to objects that men possess.

Caroline, listen up, don't wanna hear About ya horoscope or what the future holds Shut up and shut up and Let's get gory, like a Tarantino movie Don't wanna talk it out, can we fuck it out?

Never is it okay to tell someone (more specifically a women in this context) to “shut up.” The song is literally talking about silencing a women and then asking instead “can we fuck it out.” This puts females in general in a lesser position in the media. Women are silenced on a daily basis and the song is supporting this perpetuation of silence through sex.

Baby I want forever Caroline, don't you see that I want you to be my

Bad thang, bad, bad, bad, bad thang, thang, thang, thang, thang

Throughout the song Amine can manipulate us into thinking that this Caroline person is someone he might care deeply about and that’s great and all, but why would you then call her “thang.” This to me equates to calling a woman an “thing.” I’m not a thing or an object. I am a person. In retrospect it is beyond demoralizing. It’s dehumanizing.

#gws201002

Broccoli- D.R.A.M., ft. Lil Yachty https://genius.com/Dram-broccoli-lyrics

Since arriving at The University of Kentucky, I’ve heard this song upwards of 200 times, most often in a frat party basement…and yet every single time I find myself dancing and enjoying it immensely. The catchy piano at the beginning of the song followed by that line everyone belts out: “Ain’t. No. Tellin. What. I’m. Doing.” It gets me every time, but after looking at the lyrics as a whole, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy it the same way from this point on.

“Hey lil' mama would you like to be my sunshine? Nigga touch my gang we gon' turn this shit to Columbine.”

Sure, I’d like to be your sunshine. That sounds slightly endearing and somewhat flattering UNTIL Lil Yachty decides to rap about the tragic shootings of Columbine High School.

“50 shades of grey, beat that pussy like Hulk Hogan.”

First of all, 50 Shades of Grey in general did a great job of making a female lead seem powerless and needy for the attention of a successful hyper-masculine male character.

*Note: if you’re into BDSM, more power to you but the movie in general is slightly demoralizing to women. The lyric is further perpetuating sexual violence. Hulk Hogan was a professional wrestler and the idea of “beating” a women’s vagina is beyond expressing ideas of sexual exploration.

And it continues:

“Put that dick up in her pussy bet she feel it in her toes.”

“In the middle of the party bitch get off me In the cut I'm rolling up my broccoli Ya I know your baby mama fond of me All she want to do is smoke that broccoli Whispered in my ear she trying to leave with me Said that I can get that pussy easily Said that I can hit that shit so greasily I'm a dirty dog I did it sleazily.”

“I got companies and Pesos I got people on my payroll She don't do it 'less I say so.”

Is it too much to ask for the decency to not refer to women (human beings with intellectual thought) as something simplified to a sexual organ, which as now been further degraded by the term “p*ssy?”

#gws201002

Outer Space- Danny Brown

http://www.lyrics.com/lyric/24398272

Danny Brown is a man of many words…most of them being ridiculously misogynistic and vulgar. With each week, I think I’ve unearthed the worst of the worst when it comes to degrading songs in the rap industry, but once again I’m left with no surprise when I come across yet another prime example. In the third verse of his song Outer Space, Brown raps, “Fucking on your mother with two rubbers, I do fuck her.” He seems like a lyrical genius. I saw Danny Brown last summer at a music Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. I can only say I enjoyed his performance because of the atmosphere it took place in, but by no mean his musical talents. He is just one of the multitude of artists that use women, drugs, and controversy to the advantage of making “trap” music and therefore a profit. Later in the song he raps, “Love a feminist bitch, oh, it get my dick hard so no apologies for all the misogyny.” Brown is essentially saying that because a woman is a feminist it is just more reason to use her as an object for sex.

He explicitly states that he “loves a feminist bitch.” Not only is he using feminism as a platform for humor, but also referring to her as a “bitch,” which goes against the feminist principles specifically. I don’t see this as a way to express yourself artistically in an educated manor but rather a series of attempts at writing lyrics worthy of public attention. Further in the song he continues to rap, “Extorted her for the cash.” It is assumed that he’s referencing something sexual. Brown thrives off of this form of misogyny and blatant disrespect. Maybe one day, male rappers will find better outlets to write about topics not relating to the degradation of women.

#gws201002

Amityville, Eminem ft. Bizarre

http://www.eminem.net/lyrics/matherslp/amityville.txt

I feel as if I’m just repeating myself, but then I quickly realize the media is at fault. This constant message of misogyny and sexualizing women as objects verses human beings is so prevalent in our music to the point of exhaustion. This week I am exhausted by the song Amityville of The Marshall Mathers LP.

“My little sister's birthday, she'll remember me

For a gift I had ten of my boys take her virginity.”

In this line he is glorifying gang rape. Let’s also emphasize it is the gang rape of his sister…

This is only one of the most horrifying lines of the song. The entire song in general is violent and full with messages of murder. Why someone would support media with such a negative influence that goes beyond the flexibility of artistic expression, is unknown to me.

The lyrics cause me to question how these men were raised. He’s talking about his fucking sister. We lose sympathy for rape victims partly because of perpetuated rape culture, but there is a certain degree of severity created when victims are close family or friends. It makes it real and possible, but apparently for Eminem and Bizarre…it is not only real and possible, but acceptable.

Even after the past weeks, it still amazes me that this is something we consume of a daily basis. I can’t say this is a song I’ve heard before writing this post, but Eminem is a musician I have always respected for his talent as an artist and respected for the legacy he has created in the rap industry. Now…I can’t say I honestly want to uphold this belief. I have begun to rethink the music I listen to and the musicians I chose to support through my media consumption.

#gws201002

Rap and Rape Culture: “U.O.E.N.O.” Extended Version– Rocko (Future, Rick Ross, A$AP Rocky, and Wiz Khalifa)

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rocko/uoenoextendedremix.html

Another week. Another offensive rap song for women, but this week it’s different. Sure, these four men might have been able to catapult themselves from lower socioeconomic backgrounds through gaining fame and recognition in the rap industry… in the process they have further stigmatized the role of women as sexual objects and blatantly perpetuated rape culture. It doesn’t matter when Future raps, “we came up from nothin’, you don’t even know it, drive a half million dollar car, you don’t even know it” when this is proceeding an almost 5 min song full of sexist remarks and illusions to glamourized sexual assault. The group faced some backlash in 2013 when the song was release and now four years later, very little has changed in the rap industry. I understand that music is a form of artistic expression and therefore cannot be limited, but I think our culture as a whole has taken an insensitive turn to talking about rape, particularly in the rap and hip hop genres. In Rick Ross’s second verse he states, “put molly in her champagne, she ain’t even know it, took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” This is appalling. Ross is clearly outlining an occurrence of date rape and basically bragging about it. At this point we have moved beyond just the degradation of women and on to another level of disrespect. Ross is clearly telling us this was an act of sexual assault that HE ENJOYED and she was completely unaware of what was happening. Other lines in the song state:

“Every bad bitch dream about my dick, you ain’t even know it, She poppin’ and droppin’ it low…

She asked about my journey as she sat upon my lap.” In this section A$AP Rocky (yes, he uses a money sign) is further degrading women to purely sexual objects who are only concerned with his physical anatomy while also sitting on his lap like a child. In Future’s last verse he raps, “got a bitch that speak no English, she don’t even know it.” Not only does the song refer to women as “bitches” repeatedly, but now it downgrades female intelligence and capability. I’m not really a fan at this point.

#gws201002

Hot Line Bling- Drake

https://genius.com/Drake-hotline-bling-lyrics

Continuing my analysis of the rap industry, specifically male rappers and the degradation of women, I’ve chosen to write about Drake’s infamous Hotline Bling. Drake is a known for writing songs about “loving women” and this idea of going beyond the physical side of a relationship, but you wouldn’t know it by this particular song. Drake is using the word “bling” not as a representation of wealth or class, but rather in the literal sense of his phone ringing with the promise of something (a women) sexual on the other line. Throughout the song Drake sings, “You used to call me on my cell phone, late night when you need my love. That can only mean one thing.” I’ve interpreted this as him having the mentality that a woman is pining over him and therefore needs him to satisfy her on a sexual level. Yes, Drake is an attractive person and I’m sure women are pining for him, the line seems demeaning with the idea that a woman is seeking him out because she not only desires him but needs him and can’t be content without being sexually supplied by him. He’s Drake…but he also seems a bit full of himself.

Later in the song Drake furthers this degradation be singing, “Ever since I left the city, you got a reputation for yourself now…started wearing less and going out more…hangin’ with some girls I’ve never seen before.” First of all, he is implying that without him this woman has gained an assumed negative reputation as promiscuous because she is no longer tied to him. It further perpetuates this idea that single women can’t be sexually free without being labeled as having any kind of “reputation.” He then ties this newly formed reputation to her wearing more revealing clothing, like this isn’t something she had the freedom to do when in a relationship. He then goes on to say she’s hanging out with people he isn’t familiar with, as if he needs to give her permission.

#gws201002

Gold Digger- Kanye West, ft. Jamie Fox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vwNcNOTVzY

https://genius.com/Kanye-west-gold-digger-lyrics

Do I heavily enjoy the large body of music Kanye West has created over the past decade? Admittedly, yes...yes I do. Through my analysis over the last 3 weeks, I’m realizing the way in which I consume media, music in particular, is extremely impactful. Not only is Kanye a musician, but a prevalent social figure in our society. For God’s sake, do we not remember the infamous “Kanye 2020” phase? Despite his ridiculousness, what Kayne produces is held with value and desired by millions…but would (or should) it still be held to this level of admiration if we as listeners paid attention to what we are actually listening to? Possibly.

The general theme of the song is explaining that women assume males should be the financial providers in a relationship of any kind. Yes, I enjoy someone buying me a meal BUT no I do not feel like this should be the expectation or I provide for myself. This concept of financial success is also tied to the way we teach masculinity in our culture. Men are providers and women NEED them. This philosophy holds no bearing in the real world. Consider the percentage of single parent (specifically single mother) households in the United States. This theme of women being “gold diggers” is also related to the idea that women with children are therefore a burden to be in a relationship with. This is seen in the line, “My psychic told me she’ll have an ass like Serena, Trina, Jennifer Lopez, four kids and I gotta take all they bad asses to ShowBiz?” With this line Kayne is making a connection between physically desired attributes (a large ass) and having to also deal with the kids. As we’ve seen before, the repetition of words in choruses can be very obvious in the message they are trying to communicate. West and Fox repeat the phrase “I gotta leave, get down girl, go head, get down” a total of 12 times in the song. This can be taken in a very literal sense in the way that West is explicitly saying to female listeners for women to lower themselves either socially, politically, or in a sense that now he’s achieved his sexual desire he wants no part of the relationship anymore.

THEN there’s the music video. I haven’t make a prior analysis of a video depiction until now, but considering how this one begins…I thought it would be interesting. The ENTIRE video is West and Fox dancing in front of a multi colored screen dressed in expensive clothing and accessories while women on the covers of magazines dance in lingerer. Easy enough. He’s basically saying that this is his idea of women and what they should be, which is abnormally glamorous and half naked. Great.

#gws201002

No Hands- Waka Flocka Flame, ft. Roscoe Dash

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/wakaflockaflame/nohands.html

For this week I wanted to continue to analyze the degradation in women through specifically male rap music. Admittedly, these songs are all ones that I have listened to and more than likely throughly enjoyed but I realize now that it’s unacceptable. Yes, music is supposed to be a forum of expression and artistic freedom but at one point is there not a line to be drawn? This is a song I can say with confidence I listened to at middle school dances. The fact that I was exposed to someone saying, “Girl drop it to the floor I love the way yo booty go. All I wanna do is sit back and watch you move and I'll proceed to throw this cash” at the age of 11-12 is disgusting. The line is a prime example of the sexualization of women. Rap music in particular is illustrating to the masses that it’s acceptable for a woman to be a subject of male entertainment and that in response to this women should live up to this expectation. The sole idea of a man “proceeding to throw this cash” at a women is degrading. The song as a whole is a depiction of an experience at a strip club and the response of male arousal. It’s almost as if the song is praising women for their ability to use sexuality in a way that pleases men. In conclusion it’s vulgar and disrespectful.

#gws201002

“Talk Dirty” - Jason Derulo, ft. 2 Chainz

https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tpsthe5exksabmyv34dyapzs6dy?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

Sure, Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty” might have been a chart topper in 2014 but it’s misogynistic message is ultimately anti-feminist and overall anti-woman.

Let’s first begin with the lyrics. They’re incredibly catchy and repetitive, but beneath that is an entire song degrading women to a level of what I saw as simply something used for the enjoyment of men. One example of this is in the line, “I’m that flight that you get on, international, first class seat on my lap girl, riding comfortable.” By no means does this lyric reflect any form of empowerment to women. Instead it’s saying perpetuating this idea that women want nothing more than to sit on a man’s lap and that this is then a luxury. It paints women as small minded creatures with purely sexual interests. I gets worse...later in the song Derulo sings, “Her p*ssy's so good I bought her a pet...Got her saved in my phone under "Big Booty." These lines are repeated over and over again. First, he’s implying he would reward a woman for having good sex, and then he goes on to further objectify her by referring to her as “Big Booty,” focusing solely on her physical attributes and what she can offer sexually. I’m fully aware this isn’t a love song of any kind, but it is too much to ask for a decent level of respect? Apparently. After analyzing the lyrics I’ve decided I think it’s disgusting and it’s also something we’re allowing our children to listen to on a daily basis. These are the words we sing along to in the car on the way to school and soccer practice and it’s becoming a social norm.

#GWS201002

Tumblr Activist Journal

1-19-2017

Activist page: prowomanantigender

Multiple posts were responding to the idea of a gender neutral bathroom in a college bar. Instead of paying for this additional bathroom the bar decided to open up the existing bathroom to ALL genders. The writer felt that women only spaces were essential and was angered by this possible change. I think the page was trying to communicate a concern or receive validation and support for the author's opinion. A strength is that it's opening up the possibility of conversation and debate, but the writer claims it "erases" women's rights in the town. I'm not angry like the author, or horribly concerned. Should I be? Is it a women's safety issue? Maybe.

Activist Page: two-birds-onawire

Feminist, Activist, And All Things Equality

This page was about teaching children the fundamentals of consent at a young age. It started with two separate anecdotes about children playing and asking permission to draw on each other's legs. I wouldn’t have ever thought of this as an opportunity to teach consent, but I find it interesting. The page went on to post quotes and stories of self love and it's importance in our relationships. Sure, I don’t hate myself but I'm not always confident in how I look or appear outwardly. It got me to thinking about how the transgender community may feel internally. I'm relatively comfortable in my own skin, but what if I wasn’t? I wonder if I would have support and comfort from my friends and family to confront these feelings.

Activist Page: ucsdwc

WC and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Vilolence

This page explores the history of homosexual acts proposed against violence beginning in 1962. I found it surprising that federal laws were failed to be made until 2003. I seems extremely skewed to me that our congress is of unequal proportion in LGTB supporters. Our government should represent the people equally. The page was largely based around the political aspect of gender based violence. It took more of a advocacy approach versus a collection of personal anecdotes or opinions. It made me realize that this isn't just a problem among younger people with in my country, but a worldwide issue. The postings make me want to engage on a larger scale.

#GWS201002

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