RapReviews.com Featured Editorial - Lil Wayne: Misogyny Run Amok
Author: Steve 'Flash' Juon

"I'm that nigga, she say I'm that nigga
She ain't got a man but act like I'm that nigga
She check my iPhone - what's that about?
Any other hoe I woulda cussed her ass out
But that's romance, that's romance
That's romance, that's romance
She kiss my ankle when I twist my ankle
She even did anal when she don't do anal"

It's probably my fault that I actually pay attention to what rappers say - after all as the OHHLA Webmaster I've been doing that for 20+ years running. The problem is that lately when I'm driving to and from the gym the radio always seems to be playing the edited version of Lil Wayne's "Bitches Love Me," and besides the fact the title of the song ITSELF is blatantly misogynistic, I've noticed that editing the song really doesn't change what's offensive about it one bit. People spend all of their time and effort getting up in arms about what the late George Carlin once described as the seven words you can NEVER say on television - but take out all the cussing and you're still left with some pretty shameful sentiments. For what it's worth I left the curse words in - they make little to no difference.

I've been going through Lil Wayne's "I'm Not a Human Being II" trying to find moments where he has something positive to say about the better half, but over and over again I find that Dwayne Carter is destined to grow old and die alone. It's likely he'll have as much good kush, alcohol and meaningless sex as he can possibly consume in the meantime - and pick up a few venereal diseases along the way - but he's never going to form a lasting bond with a single woman. He can't form a deep meaningful relationship with anybody unfortunate enough to have a pair of tits, so even Rick Ross may want to evaluate his friendship with Wayne carefully. Just kidding Rozay. I'm not kidding about Wayne's misogyny though.

"Suck this dick and swallow that nut and call it penis colada
Lift up that mini-skirt that's my dinner dessert
She fell in love with the martian I said you too down to earth
Man these hoes love Wayne got a bunch of dimes that's chump change
This shit is target practice and your bitch is my gun range"

"he say she love me, that's the molly talkin
She 'bout to blow me, like a signing bonus
She got a nigga, but he ain't me bitch
I'm an original gangster he the remix
Girl do you use that same mouth to kiss yo' momma?
I say, only God can judge me, fuck your honor
Yeah, and, her birthday suit is her pajamas
She say 'I didn't know your dick was a recliner'"

Let's not be deluded about this. There has always an unrepentant streak of misogyny in hip-hop. We've tolerated it for over 30 years. At times we've even celebrated artists like Too $hort for their ribald and frank attitude toward women. I've seen parody eCards on Facebook that recognize this problem in its rawest form - one that says "You broke up with him because he called you a bitch - and now you're at the club dancing to a song that does the SAME THING." It may be slightly unfair to single out Wayne for something that's epidemic to the culture, something that's always been justified as a re-masculation of men who were stripped of their masculinity by impoverished economic circumstance and societal racism. The problem is that as the playing field levels, the attitude doesn't level out. Wayne is incredibly rich and successful at this point, and while Too $hort can admit women are just as pimp as the men after all his years pimping, Wayne has not improved his view of women one bit.

"Okay - fuck my hand, suck my thumb
Be a lady, and buy me lunch
Send me cards, and make me read
But don't send me no flowers, unless it's weed"

#ThatsNOTRomance

Originally posted: May 14th, 2013
source: RapReviews.com