The recent revelation that music mogul P. Diddy, the man behind hits such as “All About the Benjamins” and “Hate Me Now,” and the careers of Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., and countless other artists, was physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie as far back as 2016 has brought Hip Hop’s storied history of abuse and domestic violence into focus.
The video, repeatedly played on social media, has drawn widespread condemnation from many public figures. P. Diddy issued an apology on Sunday, but hip hop music has depicted similar acts for decades and women have been on the receiving end of several blows by men from the culture. Artists have long embraced violence, particularly domestic violence, as a central theme in their careers and there was a time in hip hop when expressing affection and love for a woman was frowned upon and perceived as a sign of weakness.
Westside Connection exemplifies hegemony against women in the song “So Many Rappers in Love” (2003). The trio, made up of Ice Cube, WC, and Mack 10, take turns clowning on rappers who sing about loving women. “Slap that bi*tch in the back of the head” sings Dub C, the exact action seen in the P. Diddy – Cassie assault video where he pulls, kicks and throws a vase at her while wearing a towel.
The slogan “Money Over Bitches” (MOB), popularized globally by Tupac Shakur and Jay-Z played a significant role in promoting the hegemony and “pimp” era of global rap music in the mid-1990s. Prior to that there were several movies, documentaries and books about Pimps but because of far reaching power of Hip Hop, the term “pimp,” traditionally referring to someone who manages and profits from the earnings of prostitutes and may be involved in trafficking, suddenly became an interchangeable term of endearment and a symbol of status.
TV shows like MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” further contributed to the evolution of the term’s meaning. In this context, “pimp” shifted from its criminal roots to a more colloquial usage, where “pimping out” a car meant extensively modifying and upgrading it. This transformation has influenced the global perception of the term, making it synonymous with style and enhancement, despite its problematic origins.
On Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning double album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” (2022) he portrays a character on the song “We Cry Together,” who gets into a verbal back-and-forth with a woman, played by the talented actor/singer Taylour Paige.
The song and short film video are a direct concept copy of RZA’s “Domestic Violence” from the album “Bobby Digital in Stereo,” (1998) but Kendrick uses his curses at Paige to tackle patriarchy, politics, Black music feminism, and gender roles in a petty, immature manner while hurling expletives at his lover.
“See, you the reason why strong women fucked up,” Paige screams. “Why they say it’s a man’s world, see, you the reason for Trump / You the reason we overlooked, underpaid, under-booked, under shame.”
Paige lyrically blames Lamar for the abuses in the entertainment industry: “You the reason Harvey Weinstein had to see his conclusion / You the reason R. Kelly can’t recognize that he’s abusive.”
Lamar fires back: “Man, shut the fuck up, we all know you still playin’ his music / Said I’m tired of these emotional-ass, ungrateful-ass bitches / Fake innocent, fake feminist, stop pretendin’ / Y’all sentiments ain’t realer than what you defendin’.”
In the end, they both have rough sex while cursing with a toxic embrace.
Terms like “bitches” and “hoes,” “niggas ain’t shit,” “bitches ain’t shit,” “smack a bitch,” have been the familiar phonetic engines that drive songs from some of the biggest rappers to the top of the charts, with the main benefactors being label and rights holders of the music.
Eminem’s entire career narrative is based on an arch-nemesis in the form of his child’s mother Kim and his own mother. He details the relationship artistically on songs like “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Kill You,” where he raps:
“They said I can’t rap about being broke no more They ain’t say I can’t rap about coke no more, Slut, you think I won’t choke no whore ‘Til the vocal cords don’t work in her throat no more?! These motherfuckers are thinking I’m playing Thinking I’m saying the shit ’cause I’m thinking it just to be saying it Put your hands down bitch, I ain’t gon’ shoot you I’ma pull you to this bullet, and put it through you.” All throughout the well produced song there is a woman screaming and sounds of a chain saw to accentuate sonically the idea of abuse.
His fellow Dr. Dre protégé, Snoop Dogg, was asked by Angela Yee on Power 105’s The Breakfast Club if he regrets singing songs from the 1990s given the current climate of women empowerment, and without missing a beat, Snoop replied, “Nope, hell no, that was me, I loved every motherfuckin’ moment. Fuck them hoes.”
Clarlamagne Da God chimed in and said, “man stop that don’t say that,” and Snoop followed up by saying, “at the time of making that music, thats who Snoop Doggy Dogg was.”
On the other hand, several artists have started their careers tackling domestic abuse and violence and called it out in their early songs. For instance, Eve, on the third single from her 1999 debut album “Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady.”
The “Pit-Bull in a Skirt” artist bravely artistically highlights how her close friend Andrea escaped an abusive relationship, urging her to leave her boyfriend who got her pregnant while she was in high school. The song’s intensity builds as Eve expresses her anger toward the abuser: “I don’t even know you and I hate you / See, all I know is that my girlfriend used to date you.” Produced by Swizz Beatz, the track features Faith Evans on the chorus singing, “Love is blind and it will take over your mind / What you think is love is surely not, you need to elevate and find.”
LL Cool J, whom Eminem said inspired him to become a rapper, addresses the abuse he endured from his mother’s boyfriend on the autobiographical track “Father” (1997). With an airy beat complementing his flow, the rapper, born Todd Smith, lays bare the painful truths of his past, opening with thought-provoking philosophical lines.
Likewise, on “Halls of Illusion” by Insane Clown Posse, the duo confronts abusers head-on. Mixing rock elements with their signature style, they cover various scenarios of domestic violence, challenging the cycle of abuse with their distinct narrative approach.
On “3 Wishes” by J. Cole from his “Truly Yours 2” mixtape (2017), Cole narrates his personal experience of witnessing his stepfather’s abuse. Over a fitting Jake One beat, Cole delivers emotive, on-point lyrics that paint a vivid picture of his struggles.
“Baby Don’t Cry / Keep Ya Head Up II” by 2Pac & The Outlawz encourages perseverance in the face of abuse. With a catchy beat and motivational lyrics, they offer support and strength to those enduring hardships, urging them to keep going.
Other lesser-known rap songs like “The Last to Say” by Slug of Atmosphere eloquently describe the cycle of domestic violence over a smooth beat by Ant. The song’s slow tempo and touching chorus underscore the message of breaking the cycle of abuse. Accompanied by an emotional music video, it stands out as a poignant call for change.
