TO THE EDITOR:
In his letter to the editor concerning North Carolina rapper J. Cole’s selection as the homecoming performer, Josh Orol made several misinformed statements.
While Orol’s message regarding the sexualization of females in hip-hop is admirable, his criticisms are quite misplaced.
To the casual listener, J. Cole’s lyrics appear typical of the hip-hop genre; they seem sexist and disrespectful.
However, a closer listen tells a different story. J. Cole’s message is one of empowerment, rather than detraction, concerning females.
As evidence, one need not look further than “Lights Please” (which, incidentally, is the tune that got J. Cole signed by Jay-Z).
“Lights Please” chronicles the struggles of a male seeking to inspire the women in his life to rise above their circumstances “I try to show her about the world and who we really are / But all she ever want me to do is unhook her bra.”
Moreover, like many of J. Cole’s songs, the lyrics go on to discourage absentee fathers: “Ain’t it shameful how (men) blame hoes for givin’ birth / To a baby that took two to make / Coward (ni—a), you’re a fake / How you gonna look in your son’s face and turn your back?”
The underlying theme here is one severely missing in the hip-hop genre. Thus, it is fundamentally short-sighted to dismiss his lyrics as sexist simply on the basis of referring to women as “hoes.”
In order to effectively convey his message, J. Cole simply uses language prominent in hip-hop today.
