In the world of HipHop, swearing is the name of the game. While a few rappers hardly ever curse in their songs, most do. Rap and HipHop stays try to its form of being an ‘unapologetic’ music genre. However, some emcees want to see changes made to the old doctrine. Comedian and rapper Open Mike Eagle recently asked rappers to stop cursing. The entertainer even went as far as challenging rap artists to stop using the B word in their songs. That’ll take a lot of convincing.
The Origin Story
The digital age comes with a lot of advances in human evolution and communication. However, it also introduces a handful of drawbacks in how humans interact with one another. Pop culture and social media have led to a more “laxed” society. In the instance of socialization, cursing has become a part of our everyday speech. Words that once held a negative connation now are viewed as a form of affection. Open Mike Eagle, who stars in the Netflix’s series History Of Swear Words, discusses the B word’s influence in HipHop and the black community.
In episode 3, Open Mike Eagle reveals that the B word was first used in old Jazz and HipHop music. The entertainer explained that the word goes “as far as back in the 20s and 30s.” It has even become a prevalent staple in the black community, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. “People could say what they wanted to say and part of what they wanted to say was women using the ‘b***h’ word and really embracing their sexuality,” Eagle explained during the episode. Female artists use the word to bring attention to their feminine poweress. The rapper even used late Jazz singer Lucille Bogan’s song “Till The Cows Come Home” as a prime of example of female singers embracing their sexuality through music. That says a lot about the female artists of today.
Stop Using The B Word
Showing the history behind one of HipHop’s most used swear words may shock some listeners. However, it’s not enough just to retell the origin story of the B word. Rather, Open Mike Eagle is calling for HipHop icons to stop using the phrase in their music altogether. The rapper believes that while society doesn’t freely use it in everyday speech, the word’s usage is entirely encouraged in rap. Open Mike Eagle suggests that this level of “OK’ness” is an underlying form of racism. “I think it’s something I’d like to challenge people not to do,” the comedian spoke in his concluding remarks. Hopefully rappers will find more positive and gender-neutral words to use in their songs from now on.
