T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was a huge smash for the rapper, certified three times platinum and even spawning a parody from Weird Al Yankovic. I jam out to it when I hear it on the radio, trying to keep up with the licks and rhymes -- but what am I really saying?
When catchy songs hit the airwaves, listeners are likely to bob their heads along mindlessly without paying much care to the song's lyrical content. This is especially true of songs in the rap or pop genres, where it's sometimes difficult to hear as quickly as they're singing. Until it's slowed down. Cover songs are fun ways to reinvent popular songs, especially when they're played in new ways.
Anya Marina's version of "Whatever You Like" is one of them. Recently featured on an episode of Gossip Girl,
she tries to call attention to the song's message: "I wanted people to really listen to what T.I. was saying and experience it in a new way rather than just the obvious one which is: he’s a baller who has it all (money, jets, fame, a great libido) and he’s telling this little shorty girl that he’s got his eye on her, and isn’t she lucky!" She goes on to ask what this says "about our culture... about men... about love and sex?"
The music video features T.I. "rescuing" a curvy gal from her day job at a fast food place and whisking her off to the lap of luxury and, of course, piles of money. Rap and R&B genres have a long tradition of this sort of theme: rich "ballers" who can offer ladies money, "ice," seemingly everything they want as long as they stay skinny, be quiet and look pretty.
Another oft-covered song in the genre is
Outkast's "Hey Ya." The original version features a beat that gets people on the dance floor to shake their things, as the lyrics encourage: "shake it like a Polaroid picture." The lyrics ask the guys "what's cooler than being cool?" while ladies are instead prompted to "break it down," be on their "baddest behavior."
What do you think of the messages these songs send? In a culture where women are frequent victims of sexism, how are the women in the videos perpetuating stereotypes versus those like Anya Marina, trying to highlight the real meanings of these songs? Do you wish you heard more on the radio that empowered women as opposed to these songs that make men our "saviors?"
Comments (16)
That's why I like Weird Al's version better. It's comical, but it proves much better point.
THANK YOU. I am very opinionated when it comes to this topic. While there are plenty of rap/pop songs out there that don't objectify women, it is a pretty well-known fact in our culture that rap/pop is notorious for this.
I mean, just look at music videos. Rappers wear size 5XL T shirts, obnoxious sunglasses, some huge "bling," etc... while girls wear tiny shorts and tank tops, or often times bikinis. The males just stand there while the females shake their asses and grind up on anything near them. It's disgusting and dehumanizing.It's no wonder that American girls have such low self-esteems....
@midnight_rapture@xanga - The reputation of the rap genre is a real tragedy, as is the state of its art. The commercialization of the genre has reached its zenith when the songs themselves are about "money and bitches." Not that the genre's roots aren't found in the economic and social realities of urban America, but it's no longer just a testament to the pain and the struggle. It's now pure worship of materialism and hedonism. And where did the lyricism go?
"I dont give a fidduuck, abiddout the widday,
You used to move, what you used to do,
And I dont give a fidduuck abiddout the b-tches
That you used to screw What your future do"
Jay-Z, "Off That"
I vaguely remember Alanis Morissette doing a slow piano version of Black Eyed Peas "My Humps". People heard it and laughed and laughed and laughed. The lyrics are boring, mindless and degrading. I don't listen to pop/rap music, but I would if a good song came along. I'm not against that type of music, but show me something worth listening to. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRmYfVCH2UA
I don't think it's a big deal. Entertainment loves to push forth sexist ideals (whether it be victimizing men or women). Cartoon shows like Family Guy and The Simpsons gloat in making men seem like complete bumbling fools, and as you pointed out, the music industry is good at objectifying women.
I think that in real life though, we know how to conduct ourselves properly. Unless parents are failing to teach their children, and are leaving them entirely to the radio or TV, children are not going to be like "Oh, hey! Let's treat women like shit, and glorify men! Or wait, am I supposed to call men idiots and be the breadwinner..."
What I'm trying to say is that, ultimately, entertainment is entertainment. I would like to think that the majority of the population is able to see this, and do not let music influence the way they treat their fellow human beings in real life.
i hate this aspect of our culture and of (most) rap music.
I love Weird Al's versoin.. T.I's version is just another stereotypical rap song about a rich guy and how much he scores.
I loathed rap music until my husband started pulling out some of the more "underground" stuff. Then I realized that rap and hip-hop has definitely been taken over by conceited jerks who seem to only care about money and women -- and getting as much of those two things as possible. The stuff that isn't as heavily commercialized tends to have better messages and positive feelings. It's not all about swearing and hedonism after all. Just gotta know where to look (or listen lol).
rap music is always saying that they can buy girls what they want. a lot of girls really like hearing that though. can't really make any conclusions on it.
I thought this was going to be about some kind of Sugar Daddy buying his queen whatever she likes; I was right. These rappers are arrogant fools acting like pimps promising these women or "hoes" whatever they want because they got money and so on. I liked rap when it was about the struggle like 2pac but I also hated the gang crap aspect about older rap. At least it's not so much about the gangs this time. I am weird because I don't these thugs the least bit sexy? Nothing more of a turn off than a loud fool that probably didn't finish high school.
well i mean yes it's all these bad things and waht not, but i guess people are just addicted to the beat of it and the music itself, not really paying attention to the lyrics
Some romantic comedies are the same way - there's a nice plain girl who meets Prince Charming and he whisks her away and her life becomes Perfect.
It's just like Twilight!
I think of this all the time. Most music today is a bunch of crap. For example artists like Lady GaGa and Lil Wayne have very crappy lyrics. So why are they popular? Because the beat is catchy and good as hell, so that blocks out the crappiness in the lyrics.
I feel that if the girls allow themselves to be portrayed that way wearing skimpy little outfits with all their stuff hangin' out then that's on them.Nobody is forcing them to do it.
Music like this obviously sells and that's what matters. If Gospel Rap was selling millions worldwide Lil Wayne would be rapping about God.
Our world revolves around money. That is how it is. So, rappers will rap about whatever sells. All for the money. Just because they rap about it doesn't mean it is real life.
For me, I don't care if all I hear are songs about a man having to bring home money to me. I'm still going to go out, get my education, a good job and pay my OWN bills.
@Shy___Away@xanga - Agreed.
I SERIOUSLY CAN'T STAND MAINSTREAM RAP! IT IRRITATES ME TO NO END... THE WHOLE "I DON'T GIVA SHIT ABOUT NO HOE... I'LL FUCK HER WHENEVER I WANT WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE FUCKING HER" IS OLD AND IT HAS BEEN DONE ALREADY... LIKE RAP ABOUT SOMETHING NEW AND ORIGINAL... FUCK RAP ABOUT FROSTED FLAKES FOR ALL I CARE... I SERIOUSLY DON'T LIKE HOW WOMEN ARE PORTRAYED IN RAP VIDEOS AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE DISGUSTING IS THAT THESE WOMEN IN THE VIDEOS ACTUALLY WANT TO BE PARADED AS A HOE JUST SO THEY CAN GET THEIR 15 MINS OF FAME... IF YOU'RE GONNA USE YOUR SEXUALITY USE IT FOR SOMETHING BETTER... DON'T GET MAD AND SHIT WHEN SOMEONE JUDGES YOU 'CUZ OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING... IN THE VIDEO... YOU AGREED TO DO IT AND YOU CHOSE TO DO IT SO NOW FACE THE CONSEQUENCES... SEXISM IS LIKE THE ONE TOPIC I GET REAL PASSIONATE ABOUT! I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT IT BUT I'M NOT!
@XxXiXLoVeDXHiMXxX@xanga - LIL WAYNE WOULD RAP ABOUT GOD IF IT WOULD MAKE HIM MILLIONS HE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK GOOD AND MAKE MONEY OFF OF PEOPLE... WTF IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT HIM ANYWAYS?! HE SUCK ASS!