I agree that there are artists, particulary in hip-hop, that take a lot of critisism for degrading lyrics that don’t receive credit for the poignant, introspective and inspirational songs recorded on the same album as the misogynistic cuts. So the solution, it seems, is not to simply dismiss the artist all together. Instead, support the positive songs they record; buy a CD single or download the digital version, leaving the other stuff for someone who is feeling it or just isn’t that particular about what they consume.

Think of it this way: If you buy a bushel of fruit and then find that a few of them are bruised, would you throw out the entire container? (That’s wasteful, so probably not.) As far as I’m concerned, the same could be applied to musical artists.

Pick your music like you pick your fruit! ; )

In theory this idea is interesting, however I think of the actual implementation of it and so many issues float to the surface for me. For instance how one determines whether an artist is positive or negative. Although it may be easy to just place the back packers, record company created neo-soul-ish niche of hip hop artists in the “positive” category, along with any artists that predate 1994, truth is you can cite misogyny in lyrics by slick rick and Common…And then to place commercial rappers whose image doesn’t revolve around the uplifting uber community oriented message that the “positive” artists have in the “negative” category is complicated too. I think of Biggie who wrote Dead Wrong…one of the most violent and lyrically appalling songs ever who also wrote Suicidal Thoughts, a track that exposes a vulnerability in the urban black male that I’ve not seen discussed in any written or verbal forum so candidly.

I say all of this to say that in reevaluating our relationship to hip hop, it’s important to not fall into the white male constructed categories of “good” and “bad” music and to recognize these black men and women who produce these lyrics are multi-dimensional people whose experiences and messages are also diverse and shouldn’t necessarily be annihilated. Understand that I have PLENTY of contentions with hip hop, and if this comment weren’t turning into a dissertation I would discuss some of them now. But I think that even the uncomfortable gritty pictures that are painted by some mainstream artists need (to some extent) be defended, because they reflect realities of the black urban underclass in America, and if they don’t speak on it, who will?

whew. done for now. ahhh the joys of being a bored insomniac.