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The women serve… massage… and cater to men. Some
lyrics describe abuse…even rape.
22-year old Moya Bailey describes a typical rap video. “A
lot of the lyrics now talk about violent sex with men and women,
references to assaulting women during sex,” she says.
An Emory University study of 500 African American girls, found
they were watching an average of 21 hours of rap videos
a week.
Emory University researcher Dr. Gina Wingood says, “If
you watched 21 hours compared to those who did not, you were three
times more likely to hit a teacher, you’re twice as likely
to have multiple sexual partners, and one-and-a-half times more
likely to test positive for an STD, to use alcohol, or to use drugs.”
Emory researcher Dr. Ralph DiClemente says, “The harm is
it affects your perception of the world. Is a relationship acceptable
if my partner curses at me? Emotionally abuses me? Physically abuses
me? Is that acceptable? Well, in rap music video it is.”
Moya says, “It kind of sets up this idea that you are a
servant to a man, and that your primary role is sexual pleasure
for his benefit.”
So why don’t more girls find the lyrics offensive? “There
is a way that it’s been glamorized, so women see these images
as positive now,” says Moya.
And most of the girls in the study, had never watched
the videos with their parents.
Dr. DiClemente says, “Unfortunately, without parents knowing
what their kids are doing, it’s very difficult to step in
and say, ‘Hey, this is entertainment, this is not reality.
These people are acting, they are not really doing this.’”
Moya says, “I think if you are an involved parent, and
you know what your child is listening too, and you talk about what
it is that you find offensive about it, that’s much more
effective then saying, ‘Don’t listen to it.’”
Moya recently graduated from Spelman University. She teamed up
with Essence, to bring the magazine’s “Take
Back the Music” campaign to campus. Moya believes rap fans
have few alternatives to songs that disrespect women.
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