Barack Obama Opposes “Misogyny And Materialism” In Rap, But Loves Materialistic Misogynistic Rappers

26 Jun, 2008 by John Hawkins

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Today, I thought I was going to have one of those rare occasions where I was going to feel almost compelled to compliment Barack Obama. Granted, that doesn’t happen very often, but every once in awhile he does something that merits a few kind words.

This time around, a headline caught my eye,

Obama raps hip-hop stars for sending out wrong message

Sounds good, right? And it initially looked good, too.

BARACK Obama yesterday plunged into the United States’ controversy over the wilder reaches of hip hop, accusing some singers of sending young people the wrong message.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he took aim at the prejudice and glorification of violence by some black rap artists.

“I am troubled sometimes by the misogyny and materialism of a lot of rap lyrics,” said the Democratic presidential candidate. “It would be nice if I could have my daughters listen to their music without me worrying that they were getting bad images of themselves.”

…The Rolling Stone interview does little to answer the question of who, exactly, is Barack Obama: “I’ve got everything (on his iPod] from Howlin’ Wolf to Yo-Yo Ma to Sheryl Crow to Jay-Z,” he boasts to the magazine, leaving the reader no clearer about his true centre of gravity.

At this point, I was starting to plan out my post praising O-Bo-Bo, but then…

But he added that the genre had broken down barriers, saying: “I think the genius of the art form has shifted the culture and helped to desegregate music.” He said the hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and rappers Jay-Z and Ludacris were “great talents and great businessmen”.

Let’s see, he’s criticizing “misogyny and materialism,” but then he’s talking up Jay-Z and Ludacris.

Well, let’s take a look at some lyrics from songs by Ludacris and Jay-Z.

Here’s Ludacris singing a song that may be on B.O.’s Ipod: “Hoes In My Room.”

Now, these chicks wouldn’t leave, they was ready to clown
One was 5’6 and weighed three hundred pounds
(No she didn’t come thru with a thong on
She did for the hell of it, big fat whale of it)
You can’t seperate me, Ima seperate you
B*tch ya’ p*ssy smell like Pepe Le Pew
(You filthy, nasty, sick in the head
Sittin’ in my dressin room with d*ck on ya’ bread)
She said “I want you to climb in this underwear, silly”
But I was turned off by her tupper-ware titties
(Fake b*tches, break b*tches, make b*tches
Kick rocks, when they f*cked up in they face
Tick-tock, you gots to get up out my space
Hey Ludacris let’s get the f*ck up out this place, let’s bounce)
Then it got to my head, and somethin’ reminded me
I know who let ’em in, it was Bill O’Reilly (F*ggot)
(Ya’ white bread, chicken-shit n*gga!)

[Chorus]
Who let these hoes in my room?
(Who let these hoes in my room?)
Who let these hoes in my room? (Did you let ’em in?)
Who let these hoes in my room?
(I need to know, who let these hoes in?)
Who let these hoes in my room?

Now, here’s a little Jay-Z from “ain’t no n*gga.”

I keep it fresher than the next b*tch
no need..for you to ever sweat the next b*tch
..with speed, I make the best b*tch see the exit..indeed,
you gotta know your thoroughly respected by me,
you get the keys to the Lexus, with no driver
you gotcha own ’96 suh-in..the ride
and keep your *ss tighter than Versace thats why
you gotta watch your friends you got to watch me
they conniving sh*t
the first chance to crack the bank
they try me, all they get is 50 cent franks
and papayas, from the village to the tele
time to kill it on your belly no question
I got more black chicks between my sheets than Essence
they say sex is a weapon, so when I shoot
met your death in less than 8 seconds
still poundin in my after life..
laugin my sh*t is tight
you who askin right…

[Chorus:]

Aint no n*gga like the one I got
no one can f*ck you betta
sleeps around but he gives me alot
keeps you in diamonds and leathers
friends ‘ill tell me I should leave you alone
hah hah, hah hah, hah hah, hah ha
tell the freaks to find a man of there own
(man a they own, man a they own)

So Barack is criticizing rap for “misogyny and materialism,” but he’s saying the guys who rapped these lyrics you’ve just read are “great talents and great businessmen.”

In other words, it’s the same old, same old with Obama — he wants to be all things to all people. He wants to pretend to be this hip, cool politician who “gets” rap music, but he wants to simultaneously reassure Middle America that he shares their concerns. So, he sends two completely contradictory messages at the same time, to two different groups of voters, and just counts on the fact that his pals in the mainstream media will never call him on it the way they would a Republican.