Is rap getting a bad rap

The debate over misogyny in Hip-Hop

“Nappy Headed Hoes” the infamous phrase uttered by Don Imus lead to his firing and brought a not so secret hip hop pastime into the national spotlight.

In the early ninties Reverend Calvin Butts steam rolled over rap cassette tapes that promoted violence and mysginostic behavior. Dr. C Delores Tucker spoke out against rap lyrics that degraded women by using terms like bitch and hoe. Despite the media attention and her reputation as leader in the black community, rap fans dismissed Tucker as being out of touch and old.

On April 4, Imus made a racially charged and sexist comment about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.  Over the past few weeks, a slue of journalists and talking heads have started to question the double standard.  They wanted to know why Imus was fired for comments that rappers make all the time?

This controversial issue has sparked a nation wide debate and has given new energy to those in the black community who want to rid rap music of the negative lyrics and images. As a long time fan of the music, I have to admit that the older I get the harder it gets to defend rap music.

Did the comment Imus made come from the rap world?  Either way, it makes a great impact on the Hip-Hop community as a whole.  Now that the can of worms is opened it has sparked a heated debate inside and outside of the Hip-Hop community. 

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