What Happens When We Take The BITCH Out the Way

Listen to THIS FIRST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw429JGL5zo “Move bitch, get out the way ” – Ludacris, Word of Mouf. Since 2001, Ludacris has been trying to get the “bitch” to move. I decided to help him out and, quite literally, took the word ‘bitch’ out of the song . But instead of only imagining the ‘what if’s’…

A Contradiction of Fame: Misogyny in J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz”

In light of his thoughtfulness about his impact, J. Cole’s continued denigration of women in his songs is worth exploring. In his 2015 hit “No Role Modelz,” Cole raps about his lack of role models growing up and his disgust with the insincerity around him, for he wants young people today to have better role…

“Nasty” Lyrics as Power

One genre in which explicit or aggressive sexual language seems to serve a clear purpose or seems necessary to the content of the song is in contemporary female rap. Artists like CityGirls and Megan Thee Stallion flip the script on pervasive images in hip hop of men describing sexual dominance over and sexual favors performed…

Dr. Shakespeare Agamemnon Beard: A Humble Man

W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the leading 20th century advocates for African-American rights, was born in 1885 in a mostly white Massachusetts town. His father, a Haitian-born immigrant, deserted his family when Du Bois was only two (Holt). Under the care of his mother, Du Bois, who identified himself as mulatto, attended school with whites…

Passing, No Science Required

Earlier this summer I saw an article about the actress Tessa Thompson that announced that she would be starring in an upcoming movie adaptation of the book Passing, by Nella Larsen. I had read the book Passing for summer reading in high school. The plotline of the book centers around two childhood friends, both light-skinned…