Soma Ghosh
Jul 10, 2017 · 1 min read

Finally! Thank you! A black writer who dares to critique the materialism and misogyny of hip-hop and rap culture. I am so boooored, musically, as well as politically, by repetitive scenarios claiming black power via cash. This dialogue was handed to black artists by white Motown producers then challenged by a few Great Ones like Marvin Gaye (‘What’s Going On’) and, obviously, Prince.

There’s no freedom in reproducing these clichéd narratives. Even ‘fierce’ female artists, like Missy Eliot, define freedom via labour ownership, comparing themselves to superior prostitutes. The emphasis on name, branded equipment, dollar is a form of slavery.

That said, money, power and frustration over ghetto-ization can be powerful artistic and consciousness-raising fodder (think of ‘Angel Dust’ by Gill Scott Heron). But there’s a blandness and cynicism in hip-hop culture that ain’t taking us anywhere higher or new. Kudos to Jay-Z for introducing political and conceptual debate via music streaming — I’m always pleased to see a political rally or assessment of New York Punk on my Tidal App but I absolutely agree with you; if commercial giants are serious about racial-political change, they need not only to learn from grass-roots activism but alter their idiom: find new words, structures, sounds.

    Soma Ghosh

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