So let’s talk Hip Hop, misogyny, and what gays want, shall we? In this episode of Madness & Reality Radio, I interviewed political activist and rapper Jasiri X. We discussed his new album, and the state of Hip Hop culture and its impacts on our youth. In particular, we discussed Rick Ross’ controversial date rape lyric from the song “U.N.E.O. (You Ain’t Even Know)”, and the responsibility Hip Hop artists should assume for their content and messages (you can read my thoughts on that controversy here). Personally, I really enjoyed this discussion. It was good to talk to a young aspiring rapper with a definite eye on the prize; who is all about advancing the idea of freedom, justice, and equality. It was interesting to find out from Jasiri that contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of brothers and sisters in the rap game with strong like-minded voices. Of course this is good. Why? Because it gives us an alternative to the nonsense that dominates the airwaves. So, definitely support Jasiri X and give good Hip Hop music some burn.
On the political tip, we looked at the current marriage equality debate. Joining me were two openly gay men (one being a researcher for the Applied Research Center, and the other an openly gay Chicago public school teacher) as we took a look into the LGBTQ community. The conversation centered on the intersection of race, religion, and popular culture relative to the ongoing debate about marriage equality in light of the Supreme Court’s historic cases last week. All in all we had a great time as always; and, you can listen to the episode by clicking the player below. Hopefully upon listening, you’re entertained and enlightened.
