When Rap Lyrics Become Reality

Not only do hip-hop artists promote sexually perverse behavior, disrespect towards women and violence, they seem to believe that living in accordance to these ‘values’ is quite all right:

Just a day after an interview with Chris Brown’s father appeared on People.com, the magazine has published an interview with Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty.

Fenty reportedly told the magazine that when he first heard about her alleged altercation with Chris Brown, “I didn’t believe it. I know my daughter,” he said, adding about Brown, “You think you know somebody, but you really don’t.”

The alleged incident took place before the Grammy Awards last Sunday. Brown was arrested and released on bail; Rihanna is reportedly cooperating with police…

On Friday, the magazine published an interview with Brown’s biological father, Clinton Brown.

“He’s reflecting on this situation,” Brown said of his son. “He’s very remorseful. He’s very concerned about the situation and he wants to make sure that [Rihanna’s] OK. This is unfortunate, this stumble, this situation,” Brown added. “Hopefully, he will get past it. We all have our shortcomings. We all trip.”

Notice how MTV doesn’t bother quoting anyone outraged at Brown for beating up his girlfriend. The strongest condemnation they could find is, “You think you know somebody, but you really don’t.” And let’s not even talk about Brown’s father who considers beating up a woman “a shortcoming,” and explains it all away with, “We all trip.”

Brown’s attack on Rihanna and the public reaction to it (of some, at least) is a typical sign of the times. Hip-hop and other popular music artists often promote an anti-women worldview in which violence is seen as legitimate behavior. Where Western men were once taught that beating a woman is at all times unacceptable, teenagers today are told that women can deserve it and that a real man slaps his woman when she disobeys him.

Meanwhile, this is a grand opportunity for Rihanna to use her popularity and fame for a good purpose, rather than to give young girls the impression they have to be thinner than a carrot and dress like a prostitute. Lets hope she’ll use this controversy as a means to educate youngsters who, for better or worse, look to her for guidance.