From Lorde to Macklemore, itās a sentiment thatās galling for its popularity: white artists need to stop using the wealth signifiers of rap music to gesture at their self-important āanti-consumerism.ā What Allen misses as she washes rims in a kitchen decorated only with bottles of champagne is that itās not anti-consumerism when it only targets one type of consumer.
Rap owns a unique history soundtracking the triumph of financial success in a country that long barred black Americans from that success. It shouldnāt be an opportunity for white artists to wax superior. Beyond poor taste, itās the myopia of latent racism thatās more anxious about gold chains on a rapper than an Armani tie on a hedge fund analyst.
Similarly, Lily Allenās response to sexist industry demands for thinness becomes entirely ineffectual when it lashes out against women who succeed despite those demands. Allen is not savily critiquing the world of Robin Thickeās āBlurred Linesā and Miley Cyrus, sheās resentfully bemoaning not getting to enjoy the same success.
āHard Out Hereā is the opposite of Mileywave. Instead of using black women as props to further her career, Allen blames them for its stagnation. In full-sleeved dresses Allen mocks her inability to twerk amidst women of color in body suits who launch into exaggerated dance moves, licking their hands and then rubbing their crotch. Her older white male manager tries to get to her to mimic them. Meanwhile she sings, āDonāt need to shake my ass for you/āCause Iāve got a brain.ā Cut to black women shaking their ass, so much for sisterly solidarity.
prguitarman
blakekathryn
yousharknotpass
ellievsbear
germansingergirl
