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CYCLE OF ABUSE AND FORGIVENESS
Cycles of Abuse and Forgiveness
It’s hard to deny the fact that hip-hop has be-
Dylan Wallace
Maybe the first step should be to stop giving
come one of the most popular music genres, it’s artists
them so much financial support. Bitch media, a website
sign multi million dollar deals with record labels, fashion
focused on highlighting and advocating feminism in pop
lines, and even major alcohol brands. The dominance of
culture and media, has a short article by Jasmine Burnett
hip-hop in modern day culture is undeniable, but what’s
that highlights the problem with profiting form abuse
even more powerful is the ability of hip-hop artists to in-
stating that:
fluence others. Many artists have come forward to fight against a multitude of issues such as gun violence, mi-
nority incarceration, and African American rights. They
that profits from it, have always accepted Black men’s
“The hip-hop community, and the music industry
have the ability to spread impactful messages through
violence against Black women and rewarded them with
their music and their actions, but it seems that artists pick
success. From Dr. Dre assaulting his ex-girlfriend Michel’le
and choose which issues they want support. One specific
and journalist Dee Barnes to Tupac spending eight months
issue that lacks attention is domestic abuse. Intimate
in prison for sex abuse to XXXTentacion’s sophomore
partner violence has been issue ignored by many prom-
album? Debuting at the top of the Billboard 200…. violence
inent artists in hip-hop since creation in the 1970. Art-
against women has been commonplace and occurs with
ists such as XXXtentacion, R Kelly, Dr. Dre have lengthily
-out serious consequence”
records of domestic abuse, yet it didn’t stop other artists from collaborating with them. The adoration of their fans
seems largely unchanged and this begs the question of
artists inflict upon women they are seen as a minor offen-
It seems that no matter what kind abuse male
why people seem less concerned and more forgiving of
ses or just another popular headline on social media.
hip hop artists who commit domestic abuse and how do
Being wrapped up in intimate partner violence can have
we hold them more accountable for their actions?
little effect on an artists and in many cases can even