I listen to Pandora a lot. It helps me discover new music. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love music - and how eclectic my music tastes are. I've been a huge fan of hip hop ever since the Beasties had a license to ill and Run DMC were raising hell. It's really been a love/hate relationship. Some songs have come out over the years with thought-provoking lyrics, and a lot of songs have come out that make me feel ashamed to be a fan of the genre.
I posted a song recently by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis called "Wings" that has the kind of lyrics I wish more songs had. As I said then, the only other song from these guys that I heard was "Thrift Shop," which I thought was playful yet made a few good points itself. I posted "Wings" here even though it's not something I think my regular readers cared all that much about. And that's fine. I care about it, and guess what? I'm posting another one of their songs.
Like "Wings," I heard the song "Same Love" on Pandora. The lyrics got to me, and so I'm sharing this song here as well.
"Misogyny and homophobia are the two acceptable means of oppression in hip-hop culture. It's 2012. There needs to be some accountability. I think that as a society we're evolving and I think that hip hop has always been a representation of what's going on in the world right now."
when I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay
'cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
she's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k tripping, "
yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she?
bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, "Yeah, I'm good at little league"
a preconceived idea of what it all meant
for those that liked the same sex
had the characteristics
the right wing conservatives think it's a decision
and you can be cured with some treatment and religion
man-made rewiring of a predisposition
playing god, aw nah here we go
america the brave still fears what we don't know
and "god loves all his children" is somehow forgotten
but we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know
and I can't change
even if I tried
even if I wanted to
I can't change
even if I try
even if I wanted to
my love
my love
my love
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
if I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
we become so numb to what we're saying
a culture founded from oppression
yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
a word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
gay is synonymous with the lesser
it's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
the same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
it's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
live on and be yourself
when I was at church they taught me something else
if you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
that holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
when everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
no freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it
(I don't know)
and I can't change
even if I tried
even if I wanted to
my love
my love
my love
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
we press play, don't press pause
progress, march on
with the veil over our eyes
we turn our back on the cause
till the day that my uncles can be united by law
when kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
a world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
and a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
but it's a damn good place to start
no law is gonna change us
we have to change us
whatever god you believe in
we come from the same one
strip away the fear
underneath it's all the same love
about time that we raised up
and I can't change
even if I tried
even if I wanted to
I can't change
even if I try
even if I wanted to
my love
my love
my love
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
she keeps me warm
love is patient
love is kind
love is patient
love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is patient
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is patient
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is patient
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
love is patient
love is kind
