So I listen to a lot of different types of music, and I happened to come across the song "She" by Tyler, the Creator the other day. Here is a link to the video:
http://youtu.be/f84sUBXaqFo
I agree that the song is catchy (and I really like Frank Ocean, who is featured in it!), but once I looked up the lyrics, and read them it made me think differently about the song. Here are the lyrics:
"Golden rubbers in these denim pockets (denim pockets)
On my waist, there’s a black Glock (black Glock)
New girl moved on the block (on the block)
She been plottin’ on my brown cock (brown cock)
Last night I slept over hers (over hers)
During sex, I overheard (I overheard)
A sword sliced the air, I pulled out the na-na
Rolled off the bed then shot back, pa-pa
Blood on the sheets probably spillin’ from my gash
Looked out the glass, seen you sprintin’ on the grass
A real ninja with the blade and the mask
Got them gold ninja stars and red Supreme nunchuks
Now she tryna patch me up, but
Girl, I was just tryna get a nutbust
If that’s your ex, you should probably own a pistol
But I’m guessin’ it’s wiser to exit with dude
The blinds wide open so he can
See you in the dark when you’re sleepin’
Naked body, fresh out the shower
You touch yourself after hours
Ain’t no man allowed in your bedroom
You’re sleeping alone in your bed
But check your window, (swag) he’s at your window
The night light hits off, turnin’ kisses to bites
I’m a down to earth nigga with intentions that’s right
You’ll be down in earth quicker if you diss me tonight
But I’ll be the happiest if you decide to kick it tonight
We can chill and I can act like I don’t wanna fuck
You can tell me all your problems like I really give one
But I give two for us cause you’re the one that I want
Don’t wanna seem like a punk pussy that sips on the punk pussy
See when I’m with my friends I just put on a front
But in the back of my top I’m writing songs about we
We as including I and yourself, making three
Little ones drums beating pretty hard if you ask me
You’re a pretty broad in the top three
Of things that I’ve been waiting to come, so
Meet me by the lake around 10 and skinny dippin’ and then
We can begin the pretend game, I wanna be Finn from Adventure Time
One, two, you’re the girl that I want
Three, four, five, six, seven, shit
Eight is the bullets if you say no after all this
And I just couldn’t take it, you’re so motherfuckin’ gorgeous
Gorgeous, baby you’re gorgeous
I just wanna drag your lifeless body to the forest
And fornicate with it but that’s because I’m in love with
You… cunt
I just wanna talk, and conversate
Cause I usually just stalk you and masturbate
And I finally got the courage to ask you on a date
So just say yes, let the future fall into place
I just wanna talk, and conversate
Cause I usually just stalk you and masturbate
And I finally got the courage to ask you on a date
So just say yes, let the future fall into place… cunt"
As you can see, the song lyrics are quite lengthy, so I bolded a section that I want to focus on. The section that I bolded really bothered me because I have never, in any kind of music, heard/have seen lyrics talking about having sex with a dead woman's body before. It really disgusted me to read this, but it also made me think about MacKinnon's article that we read about sexuality--about how "death is the ultimate sexual act" because it the turning of a person into an object.
However, my main point is this: I have read about Tyler, the Creator (and Odd Future) and have watched him in interviews and he comes across as not taking himself too seriously. What I mean is--I do not think that he wants people to take his song lyrics seriously. I don't think that he actually wants to have sex with dead bodies. I think that he raps these things, I'm not sure why exactly, for money/attention/fame...who knows? But I know that he has come out and said that he is not trying to be offensive in any way.
My question is this: Is there a line that is being crossed here? Or in any situation similar to this? Is it OKAY to make jokes about things like this (rape, having sex with dead bodies, etc.) as long as you tag "don't take my joke seriously because I don't really mean it" at the end? Or are jokes like this inappropriate at all times?
Nice song selection and must I say they lyrics are definitely not something I gave my attention to but they sure the hell are disturbing. Yes, I'm also familiar with Oddfuture and the lack of "seriousness" in their writing (and videos) and while they are unique especially in their genre, their lyrics are offensive -but in a different way than mainstream hip-hop music. The observation I make (this is a generalization and I can't speak for every song ever written of course) is that while mainstream talks about the objectification and eroticization of women, while this is straight-out violence over women in the very way Mackinnon explains.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether he's serious or not, but I think the bigger picture is that the notion of violence over women is something Tyler, the Creator is well acquainted with for it was the obvious inspiration for his lyrical product.