The ongoing story of Snoop Dogg’s pending concert at UNC — won in an online contest promoting Electronic Arts’ new game, “Bulletstorm” — continues, with a pair of rather lively Facebook groups arguing the hip-hop icon’s merits.
Administrative hurdles aside, these groups open up a question that Canvas wants answered: What do students think about Snoop Dogg, the artist?
Wednesday’s interview with EA Campus Representatives Tyler Bronzino and Brendan Kaminsky drew a lot of attention and comments on our website. Bronzino and Kaminsky have said they want Snoop Dogg to play, regardless of negative commentary or University policies.
And junior Allison Grady, who helped create a Facebook group protesting Snoop’s pending performance, had this to say:
I’m very involved in a lot of sexual violence prevention work — I’m taking a course on sexual violence. During that course we were talking about the connection between the music and porn industries, and we watched a film. Snoop was in that film, because he’s a director of pornos.
We learned a lot about the role he’s played in rape culture. He’d also been charged in sexual assault and rape.
(editor’s note: charges were dropped)
So as I watched the voting, I was disappointed and when we won, I was very disappointed.
My fear is this: he’s assulted people in the past, is this someone we want at UNC?
I had a conversation with friend and we decided, ‘We want people to be aware of this and have a conversation.’
The answers have been lengthy and in some cases angry.
I’ve been pretty shocked. I knew that a lot of people supported him — obviously since UNC won the contest — but I’m hoping that if people really began to think about what he’d done.
If people really thought about the misogynist caricature of Snoop Dogg, they would think twice.
People have gotten brutal, I felt very personally attacked. People telling that I’m racist — it’s all kind of weird.
I don’t particularly want him to come, but that’s not my ultimate goal. I wanted an academic discussion, not all these name callings. I wanted a way for the UNC community to talk about what misogyny in our music means and how it affects us as a society and as a University.
A few friends are working on making that happen. We might have a “Three Cups of Tea” discussion surrounding it. And, assuming that he does come, we’re having a sort of alternative concert or gathering, a fundraiser for women’s groups.
For me, the main thing is that Big Boi came earlier this year, and when he came, friend of mine described how he treated a female fan on stage.
What he did to her is what I would call sexual assault. The fact that that has already happened at UNC — that’s just not something that I want to happen again.
If there were another person who we’ve had in the past charged with sexual assault or rape — I would protest that as well.
Ebony Hagans, who is taking the same women’s studies class as Grady, created a pro-Snoop group to counter the protest. She had this to say:
When Allison she brought up her idea to the class, I was already unsure. I knew there were issues with official rulings, but this is another thing.
When she sent out an email about the Facebook group, I realized, ‘I don’t like this at all.’
The reason I disagree is that it’s unfair to students who voted. I have plenty of friends who voted every day.
I understand what Allison’s getting at with rape culture…Snoop has a past. But Snoop Dogg is not the reason we have a rape culture.
It’s one thing to raise awareness, another thing to bash or ban someone.
She’s trying to make a rape culture awareness, and she’s going about it the wrong way.
I am not for rape culture. This is a forum and discussion. We’re mature adults, and we should have a choice to go.
To prevent the concert at all is not bringing awareness — it’s trying to hide it, trying to hide the situation.
It’s just highly unfair to Snoop, to his family and his philanthropy. It’s a one-sided argument, a logical fallacy and not showing both sides to attack one person.
Hagans’ group has been slightly more civil than the anti-Snoop page, but it hasn’t all been polite, she says.
Most people have been helpful. It’s a matter of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. I don’t like what’s going on Allison’s page — the angry messages.
I’m not promoting rape — I got a message on Facebook saying that I was pro-rape.
It’s changed from a situation of male and female to male versus female, and it’s become a racial situation.
I don’t really agree. I don’t think its a race situation. I have had to take some posts off saying, “It’s only cause he’s black.”
I just don’t agree.
I do intend to go to the concert. There should be a forum, but the concert should always be there as a choice.
What do you think? Send us an email at arts@dailytarheel.com or leave a comment below.
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