Bitch Better Have My Money and its
brash cockiness, was in another league.
“BBHM“ is a grown woman’s record, one of the many
power records that demonstrated why the 2015 version
of Rihanna was no longer a girl.
She was a woman who would kill a man and casually
count money while covered in his blood.
I’m not going to lie, I play “BBHM“
when I send smutty invoice emails.
The provocative stance of the gangsta rapper
is that of an outsider and a rebel, someone
who deliberately violates rules of social
decorum and suburban conformity.
The crass celebration of material wealth, misogyny and
violence in gangsta rap is in some ways just the latest
manifestation of generational rebellion against middle-
class values, mainstream society and political correctness.
The story of rap is one of rebellion, attempts
at censorship and, finally, artistic acceptance.
Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer win represents rap’s
ascension into the exclusive realm of highbrow art.
Like jazz and classical music, hip-hop has
been deemed worthy by the bougie powers that be.
Proof that the same upscale elites who still
struggle to accept Black people have managed
to accept a new age of Black music.
But the fact that Lamar’s music has risen to
the upper echelon of American culture doesn’t
mean the rest of hip-hop is going to be
welcomed alongside him.
‘Socially conscious hip-hop’ or whatever
you call it, is a lot easier for upper-crust
tastemakers to digest than its alternatives.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against ‘caring’ rap.
But what about the rest of the genre? What about rap
that focuses on drugs and butts. That’s crazy best!
It speaks to and of the people it represents.
Money and Bitches from MixtapeRepublic.com on Vimeo.
Heavy Bitch Beat
Language is one of those subjective things where
the word itself often matters less than the way
it’s spoken and who is saying it.
For instance, calling a woman “nice” can either mean
that she’s so obsequiously vanilla that you go out of
your way to avoid riding the elevator with her.
Or it can also suggest that she’s polite and lovely.
But if said with a shrug, it’s actually not a compliment.
Same goes for “bitch.” There’s badass bitch, and basic
bitch, and all my bitches, and beatch, and swish, swish bish.
You get the point. All of these formerly pejorative terms
are having a bit of a renaissance, being reclaimed by DGAFuckers
who see the word as one of pride when used with that intention.
Style Bitch from Pamela Anderson on Vimeo.