I haven’t seen a single reputable source say that Jay-Z is actually going to stop using the word “bitch” in light of his daughter being born. If I take the man at his rhymes, I believe he once said “when Jena 6 don’t exist, tell ‘em that’s when I’ll stop saying ‘bitch,’ BITCH!” So, ya know, there’s that.
That’s not enough to stop people from running with and debating the rumor though (seriously this “letter”? I’m supposed to believe this is real? Jay would do a press release in rhyme form? This is Maya Angelou and Timberlands and the KKK all over again).
Would it be nice if he did? Absolutely. Would he deserve scorn for being 42 years-old and married and the product of a single mother household and having sisters and just now realizing it’s wrong to call women ‘bitches’? It’s a valid question, but 30+ years later we’re not asking why it took a trip to Africa for Richard Pryor to decide saying “nigger/nigga” was wrong. We all evolve at our own pace.
For me, and this is reacting to the discussion I’ve seen on the topic, this really raises the question of “how influential is hip-hop, really?” It definitely has influence. If it did we’d never talk about it. And I happen to think Jay-Z wields the most influence perhaps of any rapper we’ve known to date. But where have we seen this influence?
Because those praising the rumor of Jay giving up “bitch” think “this will help other young brothers realize the error of their ways” while folks then ask “OK, you can praise him for his influence on this, but if I say he’s promoting misogyny and violence, you think no one is listening?”
Again, it’s a valid question. How we can say hip-hop or rappers will be influential when it comes to ideas we do like, but then absolve them when it comes to the ills we don’t? So, how influential is hip-hop, really?
It’s really only been influential insofar as promoting values that already exist. We got on hip-hop for its misogyny, as we should. But we were a sexist and misogynistic society long before hip-hop came along. We got on hip-hop for promoting violence and drug dealing. Look, I have two separate playlists on Spotify called “Dope Boys in the Trap” and “Timbs and Bubble Coats” that would provide the perfect soundtrack to slinging and armed robbery. But, once again, those things existed long before hip-hop. If rappers played any role in these behaviors, it wasn’t in creating them, but profiting from and perpetuating them, rather than challenging.
Hip-hop sells products and lifestyles, but it didn’t create any brand new markets. Yeah, Jay-Z got brothers to start poppin’ Cristal. But they already wanted champagne. Yeah, everyone wanted a platinum chain, but capitalism pushes materialistic desires and Jay-Z didn’t write The Wealth of Nations. How influential is hip-hop, really?
I’m not trying to downplay hip-hop’s role in shaping our culture, but the thing is hip-hop has taken ideas that already existed and given a fresh take on them. Cultural sampling. Remixing. Blending nations.
So if Jay really were to give up “bitch” in a sexist society, how influential is he, really?
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let me say this.. If you’re a parent and you’re excited about Jay-z not using the word bitch coz u think it will mean yr kids won’t use the word then u’ve got issues.
Eminem summed it up perfectly in the song ‘who knew’. Listen.. I’m a very big Jay-z fan and while I hav like all his songs and know most word for word, I have NEVER used the word bitch in a conversation.. unless I was quoting someone else. So don’t go and blame a rapper for the words kids use, if Jay chooses to never say it then good on him, but thats his choice.. Just like everyone else is free to make theirs.