Ashley Judd draws criticism for calling hip-hop "rape culture"
By David WarnerApril 11th, 2011, 5:11 pmComments (28)
In her new book, All That Is Bitter & Sweet, Ashley Judd takes a little time — between jabs at her family — to make some disparaging remarks about rap music. In a rant criticizing YouthAIDS for including Diddy and Snoop in their PSAs, she goes as far as to say that "most rap... is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny," and used the phrase "rape culture." I was ready to completely ignore her statement, seeing as her rap-music expertise probably extends about as far as my Ashley Judd expertise. But then ?uestlove of the Roots fired back, and it suddenly got a lot more interesting.
?uest, a member of the group that essentially brought real instrumentation to mainstream hip-hop in the '90s, answered Judd's claims via his Twitter, pointing out that "EVERY genre of music has elements of violence." You can't really argue with that. This isn't to say that what Judd said has zero merit, but it has very little purely because of how broad a generalization she made. To say that hip-hop artists aren't fit to advocate for AIDS awareness is ignorant, at best. After being called out on the internet, she tried to write it off as a mistake in her writing. I'd call it more a mistake in her thinking, but maybe I'm splitting hairs.
Commentarium (28 Comments)
Ashley is from KY. She should listen to how many Bluegrass murder ballads there are.
She is a beautiful woman,a mediocre actress and knows nothing about rap or hip-hop music. I love that she is campaigning for women's rights around the world and is trying to bring focus to this fight, but she needs to think before she speaks and it wasn't a mistake in her writing. She just didn't think she would be called to the carpet for her statement. Ashley, stay on message, and don't veer onto topic where your knowledge is lacking.
What would Eminem do to her in this situation?
Eminem is a walking hostile environment to women, a violation to Title IX. He is the lord of rape culture.
I agree with Ms Judd.
I think her complaint is legit. Look, I'm not calling for censorship, and not denying that music and other forms of media haven't dealt with violence amongst there themes, but I think there is something to be said about the impact of rap music. "Ashley is from KY. She should listen to how many Bluegrass murder ballads there are." True, but bluegrass murder ballad listeners don't go around fuckin niggaz up and smackin dem hoez around after listening to it. Something is to be said about rap music and the influence it has on people,i.e kids who don't know any better.
Umm...actually Rebecca still has a point FY. The reason she targeted rap music is b/c rap music just happens to be one of (if not the most) popular form of music in America and around the world. With that being said, as a hip-hop fan, which is something you obviously aren't, for EVERY artist that promotes violence and vengeance, I can name you one that promotes peace and awareness. Again..violence exists in EVERY form of music
How is this an argument ("violence exists in EVERY form of music") an argument against what she said? Well, then, let's change EVERY form of music instead of pretending that blasting women-hatred on the radio is somehow okay, because everybody does it.
She called hip-hop THE soundtrack for misogyny, singling it out. ?uest was pointing out that ALL music has this problem, because it is a greater cultural issue, not a rap specific one.
Truly though, no other type of music so blatantly refers to women as "hos" and "bitches" and sluts or shows them as ATM slots in their videos.
-don't go around saying and singing fuckin niggaz up and smackin dem hoez around after listening to it.
Again, with the generalizations. I appreciate how you point out a few bad apples can spoil the whole bunch but you have to understand it was from the strife of those bad apples that sprang up rap. How do you reconcile with the fact that a genre of music was born not of depravity, much like we see today, but disparity? I guess its safe for me to say all death metal heads will without a doubt shoot up their schools? I like death metal and I have yet to make my first killing.
I think the crux of the matter here is realizing what hip hop is and what hip hop isn't. Or more succinctly, who represents it. I feel like thats the same as saying, "Mechanics shouldn't be represented in unions because they fix the cars of serial killers". Bear with me here, its just a for instance. Its a drastic, unfair, overgeneralized, misinformed, judgemental, stretch. Only someone who doesn't understand hip hop culture, or culture in general (knocks at your family, really?) would make offhanded remarks like that.
She obviously didn't think very much, because if she did, then she might have made the connection between the artists, the people who listen to those artists, and the youth that may be most likely to contract AIDS. I think it was a good idea to get artists like Diddy and Snoop to be involved because it is an effort to reach the demographic that YouthAIDS is trying to target in the first place.
But can we talk about how this is right above an article about gucci mane kicking woman out of car?
I know right? Hooksexup tryna start beef...?
Sure, Rap and Hip Hop are full of disturbing lyrics but the Judds are country music, right? Pretty sure the only genre of music without rape culture lyrics in them is classical.
Picked up Neil Strauss' new book, and there's a really enlightening interview in which Snoop directly addresses how women came to be so demeaned in a lot of the lyrics. Would provide food for thought on both sides.
Another person to blame hip hop for rape and violence against women. Anyone who is weak-minded enough to let anything chide them to abuse women should have the blame squarely on them. But it's always easier to blame the influence.
Her comments were accurate. It cannot be disputed. They were accurate. Whether or not you CARE that they were accurate is another matter.
Plastic surgeons have been allowed at her face too often. She used to be beautiful.
I think it's less a case of plastic surgery, and more the smug, I'm-always-right-and-you-can-go-stuff-yourself-if-you-don't-agree, supercilious attitude that's warped her formerly pretty face.
Maybe that attitude warped her looks, and she went to the surgeon to try and get them back. Makes us both right.
Assholes. Yeah, let's talk about what she looks like, when she complains of misogyny. Who the FUCK are you people and where are your brains.
Oooooh somebody called me an asshole on the Internet! I'm scarred for life! Mommy, hold me!
She's wrong to place the blame for rape culture on rap music. North American pop culture is rape culture quite generally. Misogynistic hip-hop lyrics are just a symptom.
I'm a bit torn on this. On one hand, she's obviously making waaaaaay too broad a statement. On the other hand, most of the mainstream stuff is incredibly toxic and you have to be in complete denial to not see that.
My thoughts exactly.
I love rap but I find gangsta rap repulsive. Annoyingly, Dre's 2001 has music I love, but the lyrics are as hateful and vile as a KKK rant.