Beauty in Music
Nowadays, African-American children are surrounded with technology, and the iPod/mp3 player is the chief that has found a way to influence the younger generation quicker than a priest, parent, and guardian angel combined could ever do. Besides media sources such as television, magazines, and blogs that suggest that African-American women as a whole are not beautiful, the younger generation also has the constant thump of a catchy, new song in their ears. Initially, they may not listen to the lyrics or even realize what they are saying after singing the catchy tune aloud with their peers; however, these "catchy tunes" are some the most degrading lyrics to have been written down.
This generation of African-American children are growing up with artists such as Travis Porter ("Make it Rain Trick"), Waka Flocka Flame ("No Hands"), Main Event ("Dance Like a Stripper"), Roscoe Dash ("Sexy Girl Anthem") and many more. By taking a quick glance at the the song titles that these artists are famous for, one could easily guess what type of content are within these songs. These songs depict a picture to a young female that it is okay to only be wanted to be able to shake her behinds and bounce her breast. Once said in these words, these songs should be banned from hitting the air (or at least one would assume). However, I doubt the younger generation truly understands how degrading these songs are and how they effect self-esteem within the African-American community, so below is an attempt to clearly clarify the damage being done.
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Clarity of "Drank in My Cup" by Kirko Bangz:
1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 |
Actual Lyrics:
[Verse 1] I done came down, hold up, grip the grain, roll up And your girlfriend want a ni**a like me 'cause I ain't trying to control her She call me when she wants a change Black diamond, my pinky ring And she know you weak and we ain't the same You hit the scene, I make the scene I'm in her head like Maybelline H-town so I made to lean I'm in her soul, I make her scream I don't ride the toll, don't pay the change I'm EZ tag like Peter Pan She want a man, don't need a man I'm flying down your boulevard She cooking dinner with your pans Draped up, dripped out, Your b*tch know what I'm taking 'bout Pulls up, pull out We get it poppin' in the parking lot She like to do it with the lights on Don't matter to me if it's dark or not I'm g'd up, east up Fossil pants, I'm hard as rock [Hook] Girl I know how much you really want somebody Want somebody that don't really need you Girl I know how much you really want somebody Want somebody that ain't trying to keep You heard what I said, that could put you to bed That ain't trying to love you baby, just f*ck you instead And don't tell 'em nothing baby, you know that I'm coming baby Just hit up my phone whenever you need you some company Got this drank in my cup Oh yeah I got this drank in my cup (this drank) I got this drank in my cup (this drank) Cup, cup.. |
Translation:
[Verse 1] He has the hottest car around and showing it off Someone's girlfriend wants someone with the hottest car She don't want to be controlled She calls him because he's not like her boyfriend He has the nicest ring to show his status Her boyfriend don't have the same status as he does Everyone knows him but not the boyfriend She always thinking about him like she always wear makeup He drink the famous Texas alcoholic beverage When he has sex with her, she screams a lot He doesn't pay his debt to society or her He swift and can get in and out easily like Peter Pan She's the typical "independent black woman" He drives down the boyfriend's street to cheat with the girl She cooked him dinner with the boyfriend's pan His car is tinted so no one can see who she's cheating with It's a secret between the girlfriend and him He has sex with her and quickly leaves She's willing to have public sex with him She prefers the lights to be on while having sex He only cares about the sex His attire shows off his gang affiliation She can see his penis print in his pants [Hook] He knows how much she wants a "boy friend" But she wants someone that will work so she won't need to He really knows how much she wants a "boy friend" She doesn't want anyone who is clingy She want the type of sex that will put her to sleep She only wants sex from a "boy friend" She has to keep it a secret if he's going to come She only has to call if she needs some sex from him He doesn't care because he's intoxicated He's so intoxicated that he can't do anything but repeat himself over and over again These lyrics came from AZ Lyrics.
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Yes, the translation for these lyrics are a little extreme, but the younger generation needs to know what they are gladly singing out loud. What does a teenager know about cheating on their boyfriend for the local thug with the nicest car? Songs like this implies that it is perfectly fine for a young woman to not only be in a relationship that she no longer wants to be in, but also aspire to only want the bare minimum out of her partner. Ladies, this is by no means socially acceptable. Everything expressed in a song is not socially acceptable; therefore, songs like this, should they be listened to, only should be used as entertainment and nothing more.