They say if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything…
Hip Hop has gone too far, says one Michigan radio station. In a bold move this week, WUVS-LP 103.7 The Beat has decided to take a stand against Rick Ross and Lil Wayne by pulling their music from rotation, after being fed up with the disrespectful and violent lyrics portrayed in some of their recent songs. Just last month, Lil Wayne found himself under fire when he hopped on the remix to Future’s “Karate Chop” and compared assaulting a woman’s anatomy to the beating of Emmitt Till, “Bout to put rims on my skateboard wheels/Beat that p—y up like Emmett Til.” Epic Records quickly pulled the track and issued an apology to Emmitt Till’s family after receiving backlash.
The tipping point came this week, when Rick Ross released a song titled, “You Don’t Even Know,” where he raps about slipping a “molly” into a woman’s drink and having sex with her without her knowledge. He says,
Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it
I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.
As soon as the record dropped, people were wondering why it was okay for a rapper to blatantly talk about drugging and raping a girl. Is this what music has come to?
In a statement, WUVS-LP The Beat says it’s time that hip hop starts taking some responsibility:
The questions have been asked, Is Hip Hop Music Destroying America, Is Hip Hop A Threat To Our Children or Should Rappers Be Accountable For Their Lyrics? You be the judge. Earlier this year the song “Karate Chop” leaked online featuring rapper Lil Wayne. He raps, “Bout to put rims on my skateboard wheels/Beat that (expletive/woman genital) up like Emmett Till.” A few weeks later a song by rapper Rocko featuring Rick Ross was released called “You Don’t Even Know It.” Rick Ross raps, ‘Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/ I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.’ Yes, we have our freedom of speech right, but when is freedom of speech taken too far?”
“Many would say both rappers have taken their lyrical content too far and offended too many. The family and estate of Emmett Till have released a statement of disapproval over Lil Wayne’s disregard and disrespectful lyrics. Though his record label issued a statement of apology, the rapper has yet to do so. In the case of Rick Ross, a petition has been started over his blatant disregard for women and the issue of date rape. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that over 300,000 women are raped or sexually assaulted per year in the United States alone. That is a disturbing number and should not be taken lightly. His lyrics not only condone the behavior, but he boasts about it in the song. While some feel it’s only entertainment, many feel it sends and encourages the wrong message. Several individuals and organizations have taken a stand and so are we. Effective immediately Muskegon’s WUVS-LP 103.7 the Beat has pulled ALL Lil Wayne and Rick Ross music from rotation. We pride ourselves on playing music that is non-degrading and non-violent. While we believe in freedom of speech, creative writing and individualism, we refuse to be part of the problem by spreading messages that could harm or end someone’s life.”
I’m sure other radio stations will soon follow. It has to start somewhere.
BET took a stand against degrading music years ago when they eliminated the late night show, “Uncut.” Since then, they’ve put such a strict policy in place that even a video like Ciara’s “Ride” or Nicki Minaj’s “Stupid H-e” can’t get airtime on their flagship show, 106 and Park.
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