(This was published on 90s Hip Hop Junkie)
Actor and newly founded activist Terry Crews recently testified in front of Congress regarding the need for men to speak up about sexual assault, while also discussing his own assault by a top Hollywood executive. In response, 50 Cent posted pictures mocking Crews. Along with the photos intended to question his masculinity, 50 wrote, “"LOL, What the fuck is going on out here man? Terry: l froze in fear, they would have had to take me to jail. Get the strap".
50 Cent, a self-described “bad guy” of rap received a lot of backlash, but there were plenty of supporters. Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons, commented with a laugh emoji on the post. Which is rather revealing about Mr. Simmons character, considering Uncle Rush is accused of sexual assault himself.
So, is 50 Cent (and by extension, people like Russell Simmons) just a relic of another era, or proof that hip-hop has a long way to go to address its misogyny and problematic views on gender?
50 Cent’s persona of a street hustler who doesn’t give a fuck about anything or anyone helped him move massive units in the early 00’s, and more recently helped him establish a solid role in the popular show Power. It has also given him a large social media following, and often times his general lack of civility is highly entertaining. Flouting social norms can be fun! More and more, however, it seems that trolling is the only weapon 50 has in his dwindling arsenal.
His post last week shows that he’ll never evolve from the toxic masculinity that has defined his career. Misogyny has been a part of rap (and most other music/art/entertainment) for ages, and it won’t completely go away any time soon. But hip-hop has always been a reflection of society, and with a changing society, hip-hop necessarily changes as well. However, if the top artists and executives of the genre aren’t willing to accept or embrace social change, such as the #MeToo movement, will the music be allowed to evolve? And will the audience continue to accept the artists’ problematic views and separate the art from the artist? In this case, it is keeping with 50’s rap character, so his fans probably won’t care much, but what does that say about the hip hop community?
Many hip hop fans are quick to find excuses for their favorite artists. Take the commentary about xxxTentacion after his untimely death (or the lack of commentary about Kelis's allegations against Nas). We heard repeatedly from fans that X “made mistakes” but he had “potential” to change. There were even calls for better mental health services, which is all well and good, but why does an abuser receive more support than the abused? Even though Crews could probably stomp 50 out in a fair fight, Crews is being ridiculed because he didn’t attack his assaulter, ruining his own life and career in the process.
One of the best parts of hip-hop is its open embrace of weirdness and individuality, but there are still many problematic views on gender and sexuality at the forefront of the genre. The easiest way to diss a rapper is to question their traditional masculinity. The worst insult in rap is “you’re gay!” or “I fucked your bitch!”, the implication is that the person being dissed is not adequately fulfilling the traditional role of manhood, and it remains an effective attack.
It’s not easy for a man to admit that he was sexually assaulted; most men never press charges or make the assaults public. Terry Crews had the courage to tell his story in hopes of making it easier for others to tell theirs and more effectively address sexual abuse in society. Although the #MeToo movement has received less attention recently, people like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and Kevin Spacey are facing serious jail time for their actions. Society at large is less willing to accept these actions and views. Many rappers, even older rappers like Jay Z, have embraced the #MeToo movement and LGBT issues, but if hip hop turns its back on men like Crews while supporting people like 50 Cent, or rappers with abusive pasts like xxxTentacion and Kodak Black, it runs the risk of losing its relevancy as vital social commentary.
I Love You All...Class Dismissed.
Actor and newly founded activist Terry Crews recently testified in front of Congress regarding the need for men to speak up about sexual assault, while also discussing his own assault by a top Hollywood executive. In response, 50 Cent posted pictures mocking Crews. Along with the photos intended to question his masculinity, 50 wrote, “"LOL, What the fuck is going on out here man? Terry: l froze in fear, they would have had to take me to jail. Get the strap".
50 Cent's now deleted instagram post
50 Cent, a self-described “bad guy” of rap received a lot of backlash, but there were plenty of supporters. Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons, commented with a laugh emoji on the post. Which is rather revealing about Mr. Simmons character, considering Uncle Rush is accused of sexual assault himself.
By 10 different women, in fact
So, is 50 Cent (and by extension, people like Russell Simmons) just a relic of another era, or proof that hip-hop has a long way to go to address its misogyny and problematic views on gender?
50 Cent, in one of his shitty movie roles
50 Cent’s persona of a street hustler who doesn’t give a fuck about anything or anyone helped him move massive units in the early 00’s, and more recently helped him establish a solid role in the popular show Power. It has also given him a large social media following, and often times his general lack of civility is highly entertaining. Flouting social norms can be fun! More and more, however, it seems that trolling is the only weapon 50 has in his dwindling arsenal.
His post last week shows that he’ll never evolve from the toxic masculinity that has defined his career. Misogyny has been a part of rap (and most other music/art/entertainment) for ages, and it won’t completely go away any time soon. But hip-hop has always been a reflection of society, and with a changing society, hip-hop necessarily changes as well. However, if the top artists and executives of the genre aren’t willing to accept or embrace social change, such as the #MeToo movement, will the music be allowed to evolve? And will the audience continue to accept the artists’ problematic views and separate the art from the artist? In this case, it is keeping with 50’s rap character, so his fans probably won’t care much, but what does that say about the hip hop community?
Many hip hop fans are quick to find excuses for their favorite artists. Take the commentary about xxxTentacion after his untimely death (or the lack of commentary about Kelis's allegations against Nas). We heard repeatedly from fans that X “made mistakes” but he had “potential” to change. There were even calls for better mental health services, which is all well and good, but why does an abuser receive more support than the abused? Even though Crews could probably stomp 50 out in a fair fight, Crews is being ridiculed because he didn’t attack his assaulter, ruining his own life and career in the process.
One of the best parts of hip-hop is its open embrace of weirdness and individuality, but there are still many problematic views on gender and sexuality at the forefront of the genre. The easiest way to diss a rapper is to question their traditional masculinity. The worst insult in rap is “you’re gay!” or “I fucked your bitch!”, the implication is that the person being dissed is not adequately fulfilling the traditional role of manhood, and it remains an effective attack.
It’s not easy for a man to admit that he was sexually assaulted; most men never press charges or make the assaults public. Terry Crews had the courage to tell his story in hopes of making it easier for others to tell theirs and more effectively address sexual abuse in society. Although the #MeToo movement has received less attention recently, people like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and Kevin Spacey are facing serious jail time for their actions. Society at large is less willing to accept these actions and views. Many rappers, even older rappers like Jay Z, have embraced the #MeToo movement and LGBT issues, but if hip hop turns its back on men like Crews while supporting people like 50 Cent, or rappers with abusive pasts like xxxTentacion and Kodak Black, it runs the risk of losing its relevancy as vital social commentary.
I Love You All...Class Dismissed.
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