sijemesouviensbien replied to your post: This (via: machistado) is a great post about how…

it’s TRUE. but it still doesn’t follow that we SHOULD listen to any misogynistic music on principle. it insults rap that isn’t.

I don’t know. I’m honestly in the middle of this. Seeing a lot of essays over Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, talking about how the lyrics are obviously misogynistic (like, overtly and stupidly so), but the music itself is really creative at times, even bombastically new. So do we draw the line and say “we shouldn’t listen to this because misogyny” or do we say “we should listen to it in spite of the misogyny because the music itself is so awesome”? Basically, should we only pay attention to the content, or should we only regard the form of the aesthetic medium - or should it be some middle ground in between?

I honestly have no answer here. I’m kind’ve working under the theory that it’s okay to listen to that sort of music as long as you stay critical to it - actually separating the aesthetic from the political/social dimensions, even while realizing that they often overlap. If you don’t do that, it seems like a lot of creative output isn’t considered at all, because those social/political/whatever considerations prevent any sort of proper immersion in the artwork.

There’s problems with that method, but I really don’t have a better one at the moment. What’s your opinion on all this though? I’m honestly interested.

1. sterwood posted this