Did He Really Just Say That?

Last month, I was hanging out with my friend and he started humming the tune to this familiar song. Immediately, I knew the tune and finished the line "met her at the club, and I said what's up." He was shocked that I was actually singing the lyrics to "Toot It and Boot It." (Apparently it's okay to hum as long as you don't sing it...lol) What I thought? I don't agree with the song. I just like the beat and the lyrics are catchy. So what?!

Yes, I had become a member of the "I just like the beat" club. But then I started to hear the song in constant rotation on the radio and the degrading lyrics started to pop out at me more and more. "And she toot it from the back and you know she made it clap...I can supply the pipe only just make sure it's tight. We can do it all night and after that you gotta go cuz you ain't my wife!" Whaaaa, did he really just say that? So, if he's basically saying that he wants to hook up with me and then kick me to the curb, then why am I still bobbing my head? Not cool!

This isn't the first song to talk about women in a disgusting way and it won't be the last. Check out some of the lyrics to these popular hits, I'm sure if they haven't already they'll have you asking did he really just say that?

• B*tch (Remix) - E-40 featuring 50 cent and Too Short
  I'm sure everyone loves the part in the hook where the guys says, "50 cent, Too Short and E-40 say TRICCKKK." (that's in the edited version). But did you catch this line: "I hate to tell you but you're in love with a whooore. And chances if a n*g#as try he'll scooore. Man f that b*tch." Or how about this "You love her, I f-ed her. She my jumpoff, she yo baby mama. You kiss her. I twiss her. Then send her a$@ back to you before you miss her." Okay *side eye*...really???
  
• Tie Me Down - New Boys featuring Ray J
  How about these lyrics? "You can't tie me down like a pair of shoe strings. Yeah, ya cute, so what? But let's get it through ya head. Yeah we make love sex weed all in the bed. It's the best and I love her but things don't change when I'm not faithful you be feelin' all pain. Now you stuck like a stain and I can't believe that. Baby girl 100 I ain't tryna do that. Got too many girls, and ain't let it go. Cuz my life is great and you ain't nothing but a hoe."
  
  So these boys are saying all these demeaning things about girls and yet there are a bunch of girls dancing in the video like it's nothing? It just seems weird to be dancing like it's a party when a guy just called another woman a hoe. I'll let you marinate on that!
  
• Can't Stand You -ROD
  
  This song isn't that bad, but the fact that he had to add "B*tch" at the end of each sentence in the hook is unnecessary. ROD says, "I can't stand you....Bi-otch"
  

I feel really conflicted listening to songs like this just because they're fun to dance to or sing. A hard beat doesn't erase the lyrics that are being said. As young women, we tend to be these guy's biggest supporters. But what does that say about us? The more I think about it, by singing along we're saying that it's okay to "toot it and boot it" or call me a hoe. A guy can vent about his frustrations about the opposite sex without having to disrespect her or call her out of her name. *just saying*

I know it's hard to ignore a song when everyone else thinks it's a hit. But why not be the first to say "No I won't stand for that?" When you hear the song on the radio change the station or if it starts playing at a party sit that song out. Believe me it will take discipline. But by supporting these songs we are only saying that it's acceptable to portray women in this way. The young boys (if they don't know better) will think it's okay to think and say these things. As young women we should start to take a stand now! Just think how powerful it could be if girls joined together to boycott these songs. Of course there are always going to be those girls who don't care and will continue to dougie to songs like "B*tch," but for the few who choose to stand up change could come. So, if you have to ask, "did he really just say that?" Then maybe that is a song that you shouldn't be listening to...


--Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team