ugh
okay, I just wanted to step into the world of over-blown internet rap critique for a few paragraphs and then I’ll get back to posting whatever whatever. Yesterday, an acquaintance posted a link to a feminist article about Kreayshawn’s appropriation of black culture. I scrolled down and I see a bunch of related articles. One of them even mentioned Jim Crow in the title. What the fuck. I’ve heard so many statements in this Kreayshawn backlash that have pissed me off I had to point some out.
First, the appropriation thing, which is pretty interesting. I’ve spoken to a few people that have known her for atleast longer than she’s been “famous” and everyone’s told me that this is no act. I suspected this. She’s a girl from The Bay and she talks/acts like it. White people grow up in the inner city too. People seem to remember that when it comes to white male rappers though.
Action Bronson is a perfect example. Action even said “nigga” numerous times in songs. These were old songs, but they were still featured on his mixtape released early this year; about the time everyone noticed him. I’ve seen no complaints. I’m sure some people tweeted at him angrily, but I see White Girl Mob complaints daily. All I see is people affectionately comparing him to Ghostface and other respected rappers. Besides the fact that I like his music, how is he any different? Is he appropriating black culture? No, that’s fucking stupid. He was raised on Kool G Rap just like his peers.
Another point brought up a lot is ‘authenticity’. This is the funniest one in my opinion. People pull up tumblr on their macbooks and complain about how this girl isn’t ‘real’ enough? Between these statements and the proliferation of trap muzik on tumblr it’s just become such a fetish. It’s important to these kids that this is REAL. It’s no different than any other cliche hipster product. They want to make sure their trapp is 100% organic, made with real black people.
All of the arguments have made me think that the real issue is that it’s a white GIRL. As if that’s any worse than anything else. This generation of kids was raised on hip-hop. It stands to reason that some of them would make hip-hop, right? Why is it suddenly fucking terrible when a skinny, attractive, white girl does it? I thought maybe the feminists blogs would’ve picked up on this instead of crying about her (and maybe someone did, I only read like 3 articles). If there was a spectrum of who’s expected to relate to hip-hop then white girls would definitely be the farthest off. This no doubt adds some novelty to her music and I get that, but why get mad at that.
Everyone just needs to calm the fuck down. If you think the music is wack, just say that. Don’t add all this other shit in there.
As far as V Nasty (in this video next to the post) saying “nigga”. I really have no opinion. At first I thought maybe she was half black and just pale as fuck (like me) but I don’t think that’s the case. It also doesn’t seem like she just says it on tracks and then turns back into a nice white girl when she leaves the booth. Maybe that’s how she got her tooth chipped (of course this only adds street cred right?)
I just think it’s cute when Lil Debbie says she’s finna hit licks. haaaa. alright you can go back to tumblr now.
First, the appropriation thing, which is pretty interesting. I’ve spoken to a few people that have known her for atleast longer than she’s been “famous” and everyone’s told me that this is no act. I suspected this. She’s a girl from The Bay and she talks/acts like it. White people grow up in the inner city too. People seem to remember that when it comes to white male rappers though.
Action Bronson is a perfect example. Action even said “nigga” numerous times in songs. These were old songs, but they were still featured on his mixtape released early this year; about the time everyone noticed him. I’ve seen no complaints. I’m sure some people tweeted at him angrily, but I see White Girl Mob complaints daily. All I see is people affectionately comparing him to Ghostface and other respected rappers. Besides the fact that I like his music, how is he any different? Is he appropriating black culture? No, that’s fucking stupid. He was raised on Kool G Rap just like his peers.
Another point brought up a lot is ‘authenticity’. This is the funniest one in my opinion. People pull up tumblr on their macbooks and complain about how this girl isn’t ‘real’ enough? Between these statements and the proliferation of trap muzik on tumblr it’s just become such a fetish. It’s important to these kids that this is REAL. It’s no different than any other cliche hipster product. They want to make sure their trapp is 100% organic, made with real black people.
All of the arguments have made me think that the real issue is that it’s a white GIRL. As if that’s any worse than anything else. This generation of kids was raised on hip-hop. It stands to reason that some of them would make hip-hop, right? Why is it suddenly fucking terrible when a skinny, attractive, white girl does it? I thought maybe the feminists blogs would’ve picked up on this instead of crying about her (and maybe someone did, I only read like 3 articles). If there was a spectrum of who’s expected to relate to hip-hop then white girls would definitely be the farthest off. This no doubt adds some novelty to her music and I get that, but why get mad at that.
Everyone just needs to calm the fuck down. If you think the music is wack, just say that. Don’t add all this other shit in there.
As far as V Nasty (in this video next to the post) saying “nigga”. I really have no opinion. At first I thought maybe she was half black and just pale as fuck (like me) but I don’t think that’s the case. It also doesn’t seem like she just says it on tracks and then turns back into a nice white girl when she leaves the booth. Maybe that’s how she got her tooth chipped (of course this only adds street cred right?)
I just think it’s cute when Lil Debbie says she’s finna hit licks. haaaa. alright you can go back to tumblr now.
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Firts, check this video of Kreayshawn in concert in Paris. She is so bad. A total waste of time! It’s laughable. The new Rebecca Blacke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BahkwAk2cU
Second, this is what the Bay Area thinks about the “N” word. She is not from the hood. She grew up among “the hip” white people of the Bay Area.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SellassieFrisco
Yeah, that first video doesn’t really show anything. I definitely feel like her ‘wackness’ is exaggerated, especially by people that wouldn’t listen to a girl rapper from the bay anyway.
What’s funny is that from the East coast most new rap from the BAY(and possibly the West Coast in general) is a joke. She does nothing to disprove this theory.She is trying to stir the pot, although that Gucci Louis Prada shit was catchy that’s not enough.
hahaha yeah even living over here for as long as I have now (7 years damn) I’ve only just started listening to west coast shit. I can appreciate most of OF’s shit and Kendrick’s new album is great. Main Attraktionz as well.
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What I don’t like about her has nothing to do with her being a girl; although, your connection to Action Bronson has given me pause for thought. Why do I not like her? Because people who like themselves, their craft and their audiences are happy enough to wear sweatpants and make videos about going to the deli.
People who like themselves don’t relentlessly pursue a near-mythic, Gaga-esque aesthetic in their videos and performances, because they’re happy enough being the clever, talented person they are. People who like their craft find no need to bury it in mixing, production and the techniques of distraction abovementioned, because they’re happy enough making music that makes sense and reaches people. People who like their audiences try to form a personal connection with them; Bronson seems friendly enough, and I’d be happy to have a conversation with him if for some bizarre reason I were offered the chance; Kreayshawn is such a caustic, aggressive, arrogant person in her videos and performances/public appearances that I would actually cross the street to avoid her- not because she’s a white girl, but because she apparently wants us to have the impression that she’s totally red-hot mental. I could do without a person who possessed these personality traits in my life.
I’m not even the hugest fan of Bronson over Kreayshawn, but he seems like a much less high-strung, obnoxious type.
And please, don’t accuse me of sexism, because I couldn’t give a toss what gender Kreayshawn is; she’s annoying and acerbic and her music’s not all that great, this is why I don’t like her. In my opinion, more women should get into rap; theirs is a unique voice often un-heard in the genre. However, I feel Kreayshawn has no unique voice to speak of (literally and figuratively).
Also, if I may; a perspective from DagSeoul: The argument goes that Kreayshawn is authentic because she grew up in the hood. No she’s not. That’s white power, super white power, talk that takes blackness—black culture in general—flattens it, simplifies it, commodifies it, and makes it a marker of geography. While it generalizes, flattens, simplifies and commodifies black culture, it’s then used by the white artist, in this case Kreayshawn, to appropriate for use in the market to make a buck. This has been going on uncritically for a long, long time. It shouldn’t go on without criticism.
re: that last comment
That doesn’t work for me. That comment says that all of her behavior is ‘black’. I don’t see that at all. My point was that lots of people of all races fucking talk/act like that because they grew up like that. My even more important point was fuck all this authenticity shit.
re: your first comment
ehh lots of artists like to create a mystique about themselves and I don’t even see Kreayshawn doing that at all. Lots of good artists take themselves too seriously or think too highly of themselves, especially in hip hop. It’s whatever. Nor do I have a problem with lots of production/mixing in the music. I actually just watched her Nardwuar inteview and she didn’t really bother me at all during the course of that.
Most importantly, Lil Debbie is no longer in WM. I no longer care about them and I’m done talking about them.