In just two tweets, the internet was set alight, by comments from Irish rapper duo Versatile and American rapper Lil Duval,
Both comments highlighted their disregard and contempt towards black women.
The Irish rap duo is comprised of Versatile, Alex Sheehan, 21, and Casey Walsh, 20, perform as inner-city rappers ‘Casper’ and ‘Eskimo Supreme.’, and are otherwise known as Versatile.
Versatile proclaimed in song lyrics ” “I f**k black bitches when my fat b***h is at home in the kitchen. All my side b****es are dark-skinned and kissing & licking my d**k they prefer it to chicken.”
Famous Irish Writer, Historian Emma Dabiri took to Instagram to highlight her anger at the artists and where Irish rap seems to be headed.
Twitter user @Bazzaaa_ji said “Isn’t all rap like this? Isn’t it all deplorable when it uses language like this? Or is ok only if black rappers use it?”.
It is true, some aspects of rap are sexist and highly deplorable. However, culturally appropriating the words of a specific form of cultural expression is not OK because the original does it. The original needs to change otherwise the black community lends a licence to others to use it.
Words are owned by no one.
Big Curly Bushy Hair Look
Rapper lil duval whose real name is Roland Powell, posted on his twitter account saying “I hate the big curly bushy hair look. I’m not saying stop wearing it ladies i personally just don’t like it. I like every other style tho especially the straight hair look. But that big Afro lion shit no can do.”
Whether in America or Ireland, the problems remain the same. Misogyny is rampant and widely common for black women particularly.
Twitter user @Noon Quill ” People constantly use Eurocentric beauty standards to try to make Black women feel unpretty. We love ourselves despite them. His “opinion” propagates the idea that Black women can only be beautiful if they adhere to Eurocentric beauty. I hope he doesn’t have kids, esp daughters.”
Preference is human. Preference is what makes the world diverse, but in a time where black women are embracing their natural beauty, we must do what we can to support this growth and generally that positive trend that seems here to stay.
The internet can be and is the wild west where the truth emerges from the misogynistic depths from which it was bred. Each comment from both rappers is an imminent, verbal and explicit truth of where rap continues to be and where it may forever stay.
Lil Duval alongside Versatile illustrates the lack of love for black women, only in terms of their sexual qualities, woven in with stereotypes of chicken and that “big bush curly look”. Whilst Lil Duval highlights the denigration for the hair that grows a black woman’s head in the form of the afro. The only thing that defies gravity. He is entitled to his preference however to speak of it in such negative terms does nothing to the endearment black women deserve, need and should receive from their own black men.
Misogyny, racism and murder continue to sell in rap. A category under fierce scrutiny, on both sides of the colour line, it’s not acceptable black or white from Versatile. The black community can not stand for this, but we must call out our own black artists who continue to support this.
Not only are those who purchase black artists who rap about this are enablers of such lyrics, we unwittingly set a precedent on how we want the rest of the world to, therefore to see us.
