A dyme for your thoughts...

What is a dyme? Last month Essence Magazine launched their "Take Back The Music" campaign to call hip hop on its misogyny. Devoting approximately 5 pages to the cause, Essence defined 2005 as the year to intervene in a "big family problem"- that is, music videos and the portrayal of black women in it.

This strikes me as interesting and in some ways laughable. Hold on you bra burners, let me finish. I've read a few articles online, as well as the January and February installment of the campaign. While somewhat informative, I find it ironic that the same magazine that criticizes rap's objectification of women in pursuit of fame and fortune places titles such as "Make him love you more", "Be richer this time next year" with tips on how to be sexy, "must have" information on plastic surgery, bleaching creams and medical weight loss procedures. What's more is that Essence's newest family member, Suede, glorifies the ostentatious lifestyle of hyperconsumption in the name of "urban multi-culti fashionistas" who revel in the glory of divadom.

Essence projects images of "positive" women- that is, women who appear to have their lives together, with beautiful flawless skin, proportional bodies without overaccentuating features (i.e. the booty), well-groomed hair and infectious smiles as if to say, "I am it! I have arrived, and I am independent!" This is the Essence dimepiece. She's successful in health and wealth (more importantly wealth), and there is not a wrinkle on her face nor a ruffle in her clothing to indicate any sense of struggle. However, I find it slightly disturbing to realize that in many cases, these are some of the same flawless skin, well-groomed hair and infectious smiling "divas" that accompany articles on bleaching creams, plastic surgery procedures and "ways to make him love you" or "reasons why he'll cheat on you".

I have tried the principle of charity, removing my cynicism and negative assumptions I had about Essence's intentions. Still, I can't help but to wonder why Essence has not implicated themselves in "big family problem". As much as nobody wants to held accountable for the shortcomings of an entire generation of young people, the truth is, that we all play our part. For example, Essence has included photoshoots with "video chicks" and "XXL Hall of Famer" Liris Crosse. When I saw this, I immediately thought that Essence accepted that women such as Liris were in the business to be successful, and therefore endorsed/supported whatever other work Liris did. I think that to attack misogyny in hip hop (read: attacking other magazine's interpretation of "dimepiece") without ever implicating yourself is a contradiction about accountability that even reveals itself in Essence's polls.

By assuming zero responsibility, I am left to believe that Take Back the Music is a ploy to point fingers at XXL and other urban media publications and increase Essence subscription revenues, rather that really address this issue of misogyny in hip hop music. In light of the recent business transaction, it would seem to me that with everyone pointing out that the nation's second largest black magazine would no longer being owned by black people, and the company needed to deflect the attention. What better way to do it than by rallying older black, "successful" women together to scoff at this monster we call "hip hop", which premeates our musical, social, political, and economic consciousness on a global scale? Michaela Angela Davis, Essence fashion and beauty manager makes it quite apparent how far Essence is not willing to go. In a discussion about the campaign and its goals, she states:

"[Take Back the Music Campaign]It means we are coming at this from a place of concern as opposed to taking up picket signs, because it is a complicated issue. It is a call to action, and we are not telling people what to think, but we are telling them to think."

Yes, aligning yourselves with grassroots organizations who you've featured in past issues, who have the ability to actually touch the young women directly affected by the 45-55 hours of tip drillin, booty clappin, mini-skirt wearin, pole sliding, crystal sippin music videos on BET or MTV is too hard to do. It's true, protest signs may not always work, but to talk about wanting to encourage people to just think requires more than a 4 or 5 page spread on page 117 of your magazine. When you have the social and economic power to influence the way your entire demographic thinks about such an important issue, why just write about it? Chances are, you're preaching to the converted. Use your power and make real change!

There are also issues of access involved in conveying these messages to younger generations. I'm curious to find out if Essence considered the socio-economic factors of young women who dream to pursue careers as "video chicks", the literacy level of the young girls who are consumed by these images and are motivated to try their stuff out at schools, in shelters (if they find themselves homeless), or at their local community centre, the nature of the school curriculum being taught to these women that may lead to their disinterest in the school and fascination with the fast lifestyle hip hop "promotes". Also, I wonder if Essence will address hip hop on the commercial AND underground scale? The American AND the global translation of misogyny? How serious is Essence about this issue of female representation and treatment in hip hop music?

I am not terribly conviced about where Essence is going with this. Still, I'll read my mom's issue of Essence every time it comes in the mail and see if my feelings change over time. Until then, i'll stay being the non-believer in hopes that a real movement, connected to each other on all levels (political, social, economic) global, or at least within the continent, will emerge.

Peace,
Shuttabugg