Dion, the Socialist.: Lets Talk Misogyny in music
Because yes, while Ghostface Killah’s Wildflower is full of hot nonsense, there always seems to be a lack of pointing out misogyny in other forms a music other than hip hop.
So as a hip hop head who knows that it exists, yet cant stand to the sight of only hip hop taking…
Yeah, it’s really fucking racist when white people go on and on about how sexist hip hop is. ALL genres are full of sexism. Look at fucking METAL. Look at PUNK ROCK. So much misogyny goes on in these genres, that are dominated by whitey.
And amazingly enough, “fucking METAL” gets called on it’s shit, that’s why, among other things, you don’t hear it on mainstream radio, along with a lack of most punk rock. That’s why if they show metal videos on tv it might be one tiny 30-60 minute timeslot a week, if that. They won’t let metal bands play in many of the major or even mid sized venues, even in the Los Angeles area. There are some nation wide chains that won’t book more than a token number of bands in that genre. Marilyn Manson’s music has been blamed for everything from cattle mutilations to the Columbine Massacre.
And as far as punk rock, when the biggest punk tour in the US (marketed heavily towards teenagers) added bands with disgustingly misogynistic lyrics to their lineup the past few years, it caused mass outcry, petitions and boycotts of the festival.. to the point they had to pass a rule that other bands on the tour couldn’t publicly criticize other tour bands because some were going onstage making speeches of how horrible these groups were and how they shouldn’t be tolerated. And when those bands went on stage, they were often pelted by garbage, bottles, shoes and whatever other projectiles the audience who weren’t their fans found handy.
But like I have no idea of what goes on the hip hop unless it hits national news, people who are hip hop fans and aren’t heavily into those other genres probably don’t follow what kind of internal backlash goes on in them, either (if any exists). My mom who’s into neither genre might think hip hop is rife with misogyny etc, but going by their lyrics she also thinks metal bands are all satanists and women-abusers and I wasn’t allowed to listen to that stuff when I was a teenager due to content, either.
for those of you who didnt know, AFI was originally a horror punk band…yeah…way to sell out guys
No, they weren’t. They were a hardcore/streetpunk band. They didn’t even get into the gothic sounding stuff until about 6 years down the road, when half the band’s lineup changed and Jade started writing the music.
Also, there’s nothing that invalidates anyone’s opinion quicker than claims that if a band that formed when a bunch of guys were 15 in high school and didn’t even know how to play their instruments ever grows up, becomes better musicians, has diverse musical interests, and doesn’t want to keep making albums that sound exactly the same because they want to explore new things each time, OMG THEY SOLD OUT.
Srsly, if the definition of “Selling Out” is making music specifically so people will buy it, isn’t that what every self entitled elitist who claims a band are sell outs WANTS to them do? Not make music because it pleases them and is an expression of what they’re thinking/feeling, but instead deliberately make music to please other people (in this case, THEM?)
When I was 7 I wanted to grow up to be Brian May.
When I was 8 I wanted to grow up and be Bob Dylan.
When I was 11 I listened to Kiss and The Beatles and Idolized both Alice cooper and Bruce Springsteen.
When I was 15 I’d spent 8 years in training as a concert guitarist playing Andreas Segovia/Classical and John Fahey./American Primative folk music, but wishing I was playing AC/DC or Adam Ant, or Pink Floyd.
When I was 16 I wanted to be in a street punk band like Operation Ivy (Billie Joe Armstrong and I came up with that epiphany almost simultaneously, LONG LIVE EAST BAY PUNK ROCK)
When I was 17 I was playing Violent Femmes, NIN, Ministry and The Cure on my radio show.
When I was 19 I was heavily into Elvis Costello, Kate Bush and Sting.
When I was 21 I wanted to play guitar in Nine Inch Nails.
When I was 24 it was Stray Cats, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
When I was 28 I would’ve been happy playing guitar for either Shirley Manson or Marilyn Manson.
When I was 31 I still wanted to play guitar in Nine Inch Nails.
When I was 32 I wanted to be Green Day’s back up guitarist and/or possess Brody Dalle.
Now I wish I were Matt Bellamy.
I’m such a fucking sell out.
