Exploitation

I just saw an interview on TV with a new artist named MIA. She is truly unique in her style of singing, and she is busting doors for women in the "Hip Hop" genre. I wouldn't go so far as to say she is a Hip Hop artist, but she definitely has Hip Hop elements in her music. Born in Sri Lanka and brought up in London, she brings many different angles to her music. Today when she was interviewed I realize how incredibly smart she is too. She said something so profound about women and how they are being represented in Hip Hop videos. Although I have heard a hundred arguments about women and rap, MIA's thoughts really hit home. She said that women are the ones making these male Hip Hop artists rich, by dancing scantily clad in their videos, so why don't they just take it upon themselves to take over and take back the music? I thought for a moment what it would be like to see a Shaggy or R. (make me puke) Kelly, video without these big booties bouncing around. Pretty boring. Have you seen how they look these days? Or worse, what they have been doing...hey R. loose the youngsters. These artists rely so much on sexy women to make up the their "bad boy" image. It is so stupid. If I saw shggy in a club I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot poll and what's with the voice? It is really sad. Of course there is the music, which is new and hot, for a while, but image is almost more important than the music now. So my hat is off to MIA for making such a remarkable point and for allowing me to see something in a different, more important light. Oh and for making such sweet tunes!