b'COMMUNITY POINT Parental Advisory: The B Word in Rap MusicBy Randy Craven & Jerome Cook 70s,andgangviolence that had begun to spark inthelate70s.Many T herearemanythingsaboutrapmusicpeopleof the slain and impris-enjoy. They enjoy the subject matter, the partyoned Black Panthers left atmosphere, the swag and the vibrant expression ofbehind entire communi-youth culture. The things that arent so attractive areties, abandoned families the sometimes hostile competition, the drugs, hardand a vacuum of power attitude, the shallow confidence and the demeaning,intowhichCripsand violent, and often offensive misogyny. So, Wait. LetsBloods soon stepped-in. talk a little more about that last part TheLAPDbecameeven moreabusiveandrac-istthantheywerein B for Bad the50sand60sand Itsthesingularever-presentcomponentofanyfamiliesfellfartherand talkbetweenolderandyoungerpeopleregardingfartherbelowthepov-todays music. Its one of the reasons that thereertyline.Itwasinto seemstoexistariftbetweenolderandyoungerthispowderkegthat generations of music lovers in many urban commu- crackcocainebecame nities. One of the reasons causing the gap is oftenprevalent.WhenN.W.A. times the language and images that seemingly rav- begantomakemusicRandy Craven Jerome Cookage Black culture generally and often times Blackthewordstheywere women specifically. So, why promote and at timesusing were street words glorify words and images that degrade and divide?meanttoinspireandtellthestoryofthestreetsdestruction and disappointment because there will The use of the B word within the Hip-Hop commu- uncut. The B word was being used to describe notonly ever be one solid, trustworthy and honorable nity seems to be a word that is hallowed ground. Theall women and not even an ethnic category of womenwoman in life. Every other Black woman is well, the B words use is second only in rap to the N word. It(a common misunderstanding) but a specific type ofBword.Althoughmanyraprecordsdoexistthat is a word so popular that certain rappers like Toowoman who would do anything to get by. This wasdefined Black Love for the Hip-Hop generation, the $hort have even used it as a call sign to signify theyan environment where the things women said or didrecord labels simply had no financial interest in the are about to start rapping. But where did the used ofcould lead to men getting killed on a regular, andlong-term optics of healthy black relationships and this word come from?some women took full advantage of those opportu- instead promoted artist that made records to deni-nities. As such, there existed instances of scornedgrate Black culture and dehumanize Black women. women setting men up for death, getting men sentThe B word in the realm of Hip Hop was typically Lets Take a Deeper Look: A Brief HISTORY to prison, etc. Thus calling a woman out of her nameused in relation to a bloodletting persona in the com-was a hardening of the shell of sorts toward themunity and slowly but surely it became synonymous The use of the B word is not new. As far backwomen with which they interacted. Granted, manywith crabby women in general. Unfortunately this in as Jazz and Blues in the 40s people like Jelly Rollyoung men were also involved in the same kind ofturn became yet another stumbling block for many Morton and Ma Rainey were using it to spice up theirsham and they were similarly coined the same typeeducated, driven and hardworking sisters who were records.Later,bignameslikeMilesDavis,Eltonof monikershence the N word. The truth is oftentryingtobetterthemselves.Womenwhowerent John,DavidBowieandCurtisMayfieldusedthenot very pretty. someones momma yet.word as well. The word was used with an in at theBack to the institutionalization of the B word via end to describe something as being cool in the 1950sP.I.M.P. The New B Word: Transformationand again in the 80s. The first use of the B word in Hip Hop was an ad-lib on the song New York, NewThemisogynyandsexismpieceofthepuzzleSo, yes if the argument is that rap uses the B word York by Duke Bootea featuring Grandmaster Flash.comes from the fact that pimps were seen as heroesto demean women and is full of sexist and misogy-Two years later Slick Rick used it on La Di Da Di.in many inner city communities.Pimps had money.nistic ideas the judgment is guilty. Few arguments Thats right Hip-Hop went 2 years without a B wordTheyalsohadcontrolandprovidedmanythingscan defend the fact that rap does display a certain being placed in one song!tohelpthecommunitymembersintoughtimes.disdain for a certain type of woman. However, lately Someofthemostcelebratedandlegendarymenthe B word has been re-appropriated the same way Enter N.W.A. (KingSolomon,FathAliShahQajar,andJosephthe N word has for many in contemporary society.Everything was ok, and then a little group calledSmithJr.tonameafew)throughouthistoryhadArtist like Lupe Fiasco have made songs with com-N.W.A.cameout.ThenumberofBwordsinrapextensive harems of wives and concubines and werementary on the mental ramifications of the B words musicskyrocketedthedaytheiralbumStraightthus seen as powerful ideas. The idea these pimpsusage from the perspective of young men and young Outta Compton was released in 1988 which was metpassed along was not to love or honor any womanwomen. Other male artists have begun to relax the with the instant backlash and criticism that Hip Hopyou encounter but to realize that all of them havehyper-masculinitythataccompanieship-hopand music has become so accustomed to. But N.W.A. wasthe ability to be useful to you. This is the same wayhave discussed their marriages and children. These doing something different than any other music acta slave was often treated by his master. (There is athings would have been unthinkable in previous eras before them. They were telling the hard truth aboutsociological connection here but thats for anotherof rap music.whatwashappeninginsideinnercitylife.Innerarticle on another day). Nonetheless, women werentFemalerapperslikeMCLyte,LaurenHill,and City communities in Los-Angeles had been suffer- loved or valued other than commercially and wereQueen Latifah made positive and empowering mes-ing. There were Riots in the 60s, Heroin in the earlybeaten and mistreated for profit. sageswhilerapperslikeLilKim,Trina,Eveand Long as your Momma Love You Nicki Minaj have taken to referring to themselves and Another largely ignored aspect of Hip Hop culturesfriends as the B word and even using it to describe use of the B word and other demeaning terminologybeing successful! Today a B-word means a woman towardswomenisthefactthattherecordlabelsthat is financially independent, successful and self-determined OR a man whos dingy in character. Its (often with a Black figureheads and a White CEOs) Artist like Lupe Fiascohelped to drive the trend toward its current zenith.indicative of where rap is as a genre and the new understanding of what is positive or negative- given Once N.W.A. proved the formula could be success-have made songs withful, record labels around the music industry werethat it all works together for the good. For context insearchofcoolyoungdangerouslookingblacklook no further than celebrities like Tiffany Haddish commentary on the mentalmen to boast about their money and brag about thewho make the use of the B-word look like riding on girls that their money attracts. When artists wouldthe back of the bus is more fun than riding in the front!? There is no shortage of things that divide us, ramifications of the B wordscome out with songs like LL Cool Js I Need Love,the enemy will make sure that happens. The ques-they were berated and the songs were seen as softtion is whether you will take this article and use it usage from the perspectiveby hardcore rap fans. A young man named Wale, atopromoteJUSTICEORINJUSTICE?Thegoalof WashingtonD.C.rapperandpoetwrotealyricinadversity is to evermore perfect our ability to restore of young men and younghis song Ambition that seems to explain a deeperonenessthought process in the mind of the rapper. As Long women. These things wouldas your Mama loves you, dont ever love a woman.JeromeCook is a local artist who performs in Throughout the history of rap music, the only posi-tive records concerning Black women that were given have been unthinkable inattention were the ones directed at the single blackthe areas of spoken word, rap, public speaking, Mother. Some 25% of all rap songs are about her.writingandtheatrical.Jeromegraduatedfrom previous eras of rap music.Every rap artists that I know of has at least one. TheColorado State Academy H.S. and attended col-truth is that this again reflects the street guy men- lege at Community College of Denver. Jerome has tality perfectly. Finding true love for them seems toabeautifuldaughternamedMariahandfinds be a fools errand. A lost cause that can only lead tofulfillment in the life of Christ. 6 MAY 2020 BOCNEWS.com'