Luth r Campbell, leader of Th 2-Uve Cr w durln� a cone rt performance. (photo by u.. Ely)
EW YORK, NY - In hearings
con n by U.S. Co ional
oU
( lli .) today in W hington,
D. C. on "Consumer Concerns:
The Impact of Abusive and Mi-
ogynistic language," hip hop
and rap scholar Tricia Rose, as­
sistant professor of history and
Africana Studies at New York
University, called for a public
dialogue on wider issues in the
treatment of women to take
place in the media and in major
institutions, in schools, and in
community-based forums.
Rose is the author of Black
Noise: Rap Music and Black Cul­
ture in Contemporary America
(April 1994, University Press of
New England) and the coeditor
of Microphone Fiends: Youth
Music & Youth Culture (April
1994, Routledge Press). An ed­
i ted text of her testimony is as
follows:
"Abusive and misogynistic'
language in contemporary popu­
lar culture is part of a much
larger, very complex process of
devaluing and oppressing
women in American society. I
welcome open di ussion on the
language, ideas and lyrics about
Black women that are the impe­
tus for these and other recent
hearings, and tha have pro­
duced outrage
However, thes discussions
should be part of a riou and
ustained examination of the
way this society continues to al­
low institutional and cultural
forms of oppression -- most no­
tably class, race, and gender op­
pr ion - to eriously damage
the live and opportuniti of Af­
rican-Am rican worn n.
"0
OF
central flaw
SCARFACE, m mber ofthe
G to Boy.
in mainstream
mi 0
Vi t t is ly
c iv d a. an aberration, a
departure from the logic of eve­
ryday treatment· of women. In­
stead, these behaviors are part of
a spectrum of sexist practices.
We must come to terms with the
fact that gender, racial and class
oppressions are critical means by
which fundamental inequalities
in this society are maintained.
"As I point out in my book on
rap music, Black Noise: Rap Mu­
sic and Black Culture in Contem­
porary America, rap music and
rap video have been wrongfully
characterized as thoroughly sex­
ist, but rightfully lambasted for
their sexism. As any serious at-
TUPAC �HAKUR
tent ion to the music would dem­
onstra .alongside the rap songs
tha are clearly troubling for
th ir portrayal of young Black
worn n, there are many songs
that are no .
"Still, I am fully frustrated by
th apparent need for orne rap­
pe to craft elaborate and crea-
ive stori about the abu e and
domin tion of young Black
women. Perhaps these stori
serve to protect young men from
th lity of female rejection in
het ro exua I cour hip rituals
which hav alway n one of
th prim ry way youngmen
bli h h ir rol the more
powerful g nder; maybe and
more lik ly,. tales of xual domi­
n tion fal ly relieve their expe-
ri n of abuse nd domination
in ie y and limi ed a to
nomic nd i 1 mark for
xual mal power. Cer­
. y r fl ct th d ep­
xi m h t rv d the
ru ur of Am rican culture.
. "On the other hand, given the
ism-free soci y.
THE E CTIO TO
rap' xism deny the existence
of a v. t rray of accepted xist
social practi which make up
adole cent male gender role
modeling and which result in 0-
cia I norms for dult male behav­
iors that are equally sexist even
though they are usually ex­
pressed with I profanity.
"Few popular anal of rap'
xism m willing to confront
the fact that xual and institu­
tional' control over and abuse of
women is a' crucial component of
developing a heterosexual male
identity. In some instan , the
music has become a scapegoat
which diverts attention away
from the more entrenched prob­
lem of redefining the terms of
masculinity.
The boastful, vulgar and pro­
foundly misogynistic conversa­
tions I heard coming through the
boys'locker ·room vents when I
was in high school were not the
result of listening to music; they
were cultural rituals pessed on
by older men, integral facets of
o Une
den�l\lt�nfuf
ftlJl.lII�art t te vi-
for men-in-training. Some of
rap' . m is like high velocity
locker room chatter on CD.
"Rap's sexist lyrics are also
.pert of a rampant and viciously
asking them to make a 0
commitment to ere ting wor
environm n that not bu-
iv and opp ive to women'
impra ica1 nd hypocritical.
"Wh t can we do?
"Firstly, mass media outl ,
public chool, church , and
government offi n to be
challenged into opening di -
logue about pervasive and op­
pr siv exual conditions in
their own institutions and in 80-
ciety mo generally. They n
to trongly encouraged and
rewarded for facilitating more
frank discussion about Kist
gender practi and courtship
rituals. The terms ofsexual iden­
tities, exual oppre ion and
their relationships to a variety of
forms of social opp ion need
unpacking and closer examina­
tion. Legi lative censorship ef­
forts will not aid in this p .
"Secondly, public . chools
should be used to involve young
people in this project. Schoo
are an esp cially promising
place for attacking the logic that
underwrites sexist ideas, words
and actions. School curricula
hould d vot mor time to
thh\kin and . i ! ho
t t th pl aro nd us and
how our collective actio shape
who we are.
I TODAY' elementary
See WOMEN. 82
normalized xism that domi­
na the corporate culture of the
�u ic bu ine . Not only do
women face p y inequiti ,
but th y face extraordinary day­
to-day xual har ment, Ie
SNOOP DOGGY DOGG
TO ASK THESE corpora­
tions to act as cultural gatekeep­
ers on matters of sexism without
BEIJING (AP) - It's official.
B.B. King says the Chinese get
the blues. .
-I don't think there ain't any ..
body in the world that don't get
the blues from time to time," the
seven-time Grammy Award
winner and self-proclaimed
"King of the Blues" said at a
Beijing news conference during
a concert trip.
"I heard there was a billion
people in China that said they
would like to hear some blues
music," he id. "I've dreamed
about coming here."
King, 68, and his legendary
guitar "Lucille" played an invi­
tation-only concert at the open­
ing Saturday of China's first
Hard Rock Cafe. His next con­
cert stops included Hong Kong
and Japan.
China's Communists frown
on rock music, 0 few shops 11
it and few Chin have heard it.
King, one of a handful of
Western artists ever allowed to
China, urged the government to
think again.
"They have a lot to , a lot
to listen to, and a lot to learn
from a lot of these people if they
allow them to come and per­
form."
THE RO K HOW tha
are allow in China can attract
almost as many police as fans,
but King said there wouldn't be
any problems at hi con rt.
," After we finish tommorow
night, ev n the Chin govern­
ment will probably send som -
body out to dance with us."
King l i ted hi plan for
China as ing th Great Wall
- "I'd hke to touch it, may
I n on it" - and tasting he
local cui ine.
Even -slugs and h rks
fin?
"Oh my God, just k p telling
me. I'll have a fi t while I'm
here in China."