A few weeks ago in class we watched a very insightful documentary on music videos. The film was so wonderfully made that I felt the need to discuss it here. However, when the film was originally shown in class, I was covering the racism allegations by former and suspended UNT football players which I blogged about, thus I was preoccupied at the time and not able to give the film over music videos the proper discussion it deserved until now.
Whenever someone famous who is not a rapper or musician of any kind makes a racist/sexist or even semi-racist/sexist remark, that person's supporters instantly come out of the woodwork and vehemently exercise one issue above all others: blame the music videos, not the person who said the offensive remark. They reason that the racist and especially sexist depictions in music videos, particularly rap and hip hop videos, glamorize and perpetuate those words and actions and stereotypes. In a sense they are right, but they should realize that their person was wrong to say what they said. While the person rightfully catches plenty of heat and bad press, why is it that for the most part the rappers and music video makers get off scott-free?
It is indeed true that they are perpetuating and glorifying horrifically racist and sexist actions, images and stereotypes. This medium (the rap song/music video) is one of the last remaining mediums where the overly offensive is not just accepted but encouraged. Too often do people who defend these videos say that it's just a music video, it's not real life. It's just an artist's marketing ploy to sell records, so relax.
Yet, what they fail to realize is that these videos are sending young boys and girls all the wrong messages. Their young and easily impressionable minds don't know that the video is surreal, that's is just about selling records and should not be taken seriously. They see these actions and scenes and like what they see and want to mimic and idolize it.
The film we saw was deeply insightful and incredibly well-researched. In the end, those who defend such music videos will continue to do so while those who oppose them will do the same. Still, while those who support the music videos continue to eternally cite freedom of speech as the backbone for their reasons to make such explicit and mature music videos, they need to realize that it is that very same freedom of speech that allows those who oppose it to speak out against it, boycott it and do everything they can to change things for the better.
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