rap

While I was watching regrettable late-night TV recently, an interview caught my attention: Ultra-conservative Florida Senator Marco Rubio discussing his admiration of the music of Tupac Shakur and NWA.

This isn’t breaking news; Rubio has been openly discussing his love of hip-hop since a December 2012 GQ interview.  To be clear, Rubio says he only knows about Wu Tang from The Dave Chapelle Show, which I am pretty sure is the main reason why Chappelle stopped doing that show in the middle of its third season.

It’s entirely possible that Rubio is just pandering to a younger crowd by proclaiming his love of rap. It’s no secret that the GOP has high hopes that Rubio will be their Barack Obama in 2016.  Obama loves Jay-Z, so maybe Rubio’s banking on dropping Tupac’s name to win youth votes. 

But if Rubio is sincere, it’s ironic that a rising GOP star to profess his love for a music genre that his party put on trial at a Congressional hearing just six years ago. Rubio’s explanation? “I don’t listen to music for the politics of it.”

Spin Magazine recently ran a comprehensive and funny piece called “The 50 Biggest White Girl Rap Moments Of All Time.” Being a white woman who vehemently loves rap music, best believe I ate that ish up. Some MCs mentioned were genuinely talented (Dessa, Princess Superstar), others... not so much. There is, as the magazine states, a “checkered” history in white girl rap (cough cough Kreayshawn cough cough Fergie). One artist who didn’t make the cut (but certainly will next round) is the one and only Kalyn Heffernan of Denver’s Wheelchair Sports Camp.

Image of Kalyn (left) copyright Jason Roberts.

Highlights from this week on the web.

• The Root recognizes 15 years of the WNBA. Here's to tall women!
• Despite the endurance and growth of women's professional sports, Feministing reports on Wimbledon's contest to choose the best looking female player. One ace forward, two unforced errors back.
• xoJane endorses the My Body Gallery. What do you think of this body acceptance project?
• Philadelphia Weekly reports on Broad Street Review editor and Douchebag Decree nominee Dan Rottenberg's recent opinion article blaming CBS correspondent Lara Logan for her sexual assault in Egypt.
• Did you know that Geraldo Rivera called Casey Anthony a slut on Fox News last month? Mediaite asks why did he get away with it?
• Tiger Beatdown's Flavia Dzodan exposes Tumblr as the "White, kyriarchical, status-quo upholding, oppressive medium" that it is. In other news, my addiction to Beyoncé-themed Tumblrs continues to grow unchecked.
• At Jezebel Irin Carmon explores what effect the Wal-Mart case will have on female Costco employees' own class action suit. For some context, check out EvMaroon's Political InQueery from earlier this week.
• SPARK discusses new research on the sexualization of girls. Soon after Jezebel reports on the AMA's new stance on Photoshop in advertising.
• Thirteen's Riff City wonders Where Are the Lady Rappers? at this year's BET Awards.
• The Daily Beast asks whether or not Bristol Palin's account of losing her virginity in her new memoir constitutes date rape. What do you think?
• Calling all writers, Professor Jessie Daniels is looking for essays for "Aint I a Woman: Race, Feminism, and Social Media."
• We're really bummed we're not at the Allied Media Conference in Detroit right now! You can keep up with the goings-on by checking out their LiveStream, following the #AMC2011 hashtag on Twitter, or by browsing their conference guide for more online interaction.

And you? What are your reactions? What have you been reading?

Jay-Z is arguably the most successful hip-hop artist in the world. He owns a sports team, created a clothing line, ran a record label and then started his own, and last year beat Elvis Presley as the solo act with the most Billboard 200 hits. This year, he decided to add "author" to his long list of titles. Decoded is part memoir, part argument in defense of hip-hop, part lyrical analysis of his work, both well-known and unknown, and part printed self-aggrandizement with expensive-looking art design to match—like a microcosm of hip-hop itself. (But with more avant-garde black-and-white photography.)

Kelsey's postings of the "Feminist Rappers" videos drew more than laughs--it had some commenters asking, "But what about the real feminist rappers?"

So here's a genre- decade-spanning compilation of feminist rappers, hip-hoppers, and spoken word artists, from the 90s beats of Yo Yo to the indie crossover of Mirah and Katastrophe. Don't forget to add your recs!

I bring you a collection of songs that represent the spirit of bitchdom; a collection of songs about anger, freedom, violence, jealousy, frustration, fantasy, revenge, pride, individualism and burping; in short, songs about the American Dream.