tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post7051742553939613583..comments2024-03-18T11:43:53.754+00:00Comments on No Rock And Roll Fun: Tegan And Sara point out that critical opinion is giving rape gags and homophobia an easy rideSimon Hayes Budgenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07084524317888577404noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-59027698269648351242011-05-16T18:07:52.769+00:002011-05-16T18:07:52.769+00:00Daniel, don't know if you read the NME cover s...Daniel, don't know if you read the NME cover story from a couple of weeks back, but the misogyny and homophobia weren't at the centre of the piece; it turned up on the fifth of five pages and basically let him completely off the hook - effectively, he was given a chance to run through a "defence" which was basically going "people don't understand what I'm doing" like he was Nick Clegg and "I'm a kid" (which is an odd thing for a twenty year-old man to say).<br /><br />A lot of people might mention it, but they still stick him on the front cover and hail him as an anti-establishment anti-hero.Simon Hayes Budgenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07084524317888577404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-14725102908253363242011-05-16T15:35:44.066+00:002011-05-16T15:35:44.066+00:00First of all, I'm not saying (not even suggest...First of all, I'm not saying (not even suggesting) that Tyler's work shouldn't be scrutinized. In fact, that is another bone of contention one might have with Tegan & Sara's letter. If anything, I don't think there isn't any critic who hasn't not only pointed out the OTT misogyny and homphobia in his lyrics, but pretty much made it the centrepiece of their analysis (apart from all the hype, of course). Plus, I haven't read any of them even suggesting that his race and class background could explain his stances or whatever. So there's another strike for Tegan & Sara.<br /><br />So with all this, it's pretty hard not to take that particular passage as the manifestation of something in itself, thus completely shooting themselves in the foot.<br /><br />And yes, I already know about Tyler's Twitter reply. Oh well, what do you say about something so... something?...Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-85981027208094007592011-05-16T12:15:02.237+00:002011-05-16T12:15:02.237+00:00You're right that Tyler The Creator isn't ...You're right that Tyler The Creator isn't the first hip-hop artist to get this sort of criticism, and you're right that Eminem has a pretty spotty record of his own. But Eminem got called on his "raping lesbians" "jokes" by the wider music community, whereas everyone seems to be quite relaxed about the bleaker stuff in Goblin. <br /><br />You're right about Nick Cave - he was given an easy ride over Murder Ballads, and I think a lot of that was down to the cloak of literary respectability he brought to the work.<br /><br />But I don't understand why you think that because heavy metal was homophobic that that means Tyler's work shouldn't be scrutinised? Especially when it's Tyler who is currently on MTV News, and the cover of the NME.<br /><br />I don't think mentioning that it's possible that race and class has led to some white, middle-class journalists choosing to not raise the questions is "ruffling the feathers of racism" - it's actually pretty much an echo of <a href="http://news.softpedia.com/news/Eminem-on-60-Minutes-I-m-Not-Homophobic-Misogynist-160395.shtml" rel="nofollow">Eminem on 60 Minutes last year</a> when he suggested the reason why his lyrics were held to higher scrutiny was because he was white. It's a suggested motivation for the apparent lack of interest in what he's rapping.Simon Hayes Budgenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07084524317888577404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-62203106385725995922011-05-15T15:29:36.706+00:002011-05-15T15:29:36.706+00:00Besides, this part of her open letter is quite sus...Besides, this part of her open letter is quite suspicious, I must say.<br /><br /><i>Maybe it’s because in this case I don’t think race or class actually has anything to do with his hateful message but has EVERYTHING to do with why everyone refuses to admonish him for that message.</i><br /><br />If this doesn't sound like ruffling the feathers of racism, then tell me what this is, then. Not to mention that it completely obliterates some of the right things she says.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-14142969754227098342011-05-15T15:25:55.335+00:002011-05-15T15:25:55.335+00:00I'm sorry, but the cold hard facts would beg t...I'm sorry, but the cold hard facts would beg to disagree with you.<br />Heavy metal has a history of misogynistic and homophobic lyrics that can't be ignored. Yet, if heavy metal has been persecuted (and it has), it was over other matters, namely its Satanic overtones.<br />I'm not saying hip-hop doesn't have its own issues - it certainly has. But the one undisputable fact is that Tyler The Creator is hardly the first hip-hop act being singled out for homophobia. Eminem has had his fair share of criticism too, you know.<br /><br />But, you know, if this has to do with any non-PC lyrics, then a perennial critical favourite like Nick Cave would have to be singled out too. If you remember, he glorified murder in his lyrics well before even <i>Murder Ballads</i>, much less gangsta rap.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-3685563971347600602011-05-15T10:18:09.159+00:002011-05-15T10:18:09.159+00:00It's been a really long time since someone wit...It's been a really long time since someone with such anti-gay and anti-women lyrics has been given such a free pass by the critics. Tyler The Creator has had an NME front page.<br /><br />This isn't about which genre is the most homophobic, it's about which genre is being lauded while the critics turn a blind eye.Simon Hayes Budgenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07084524317888577404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1930103.post-35542740478671725732011-05-14T22:09:46.941+00:002011-05-14T22:09:46.941+00:00She's right? Really? Really?!
Hip-hop has bee...She's right? Really? Really?!<br /><br />Hip-hop has been singled out for homophobia over the years more than heavy metal ever was and she's right?<br />Right...Danielnoreply@blogger.com