Grape_ApeActress Ashley Judd’s book All That is Bitter, and Sweet stirred up hip hop circles when she slammed the idea of using certain rappers/hip hop performers to promote certain charity events. In the book, Judd criticizes the YouthAIDS organization and MTV’s ‘Staying Alive’ concerts for choosing Snoop Dogg and Diddy to perform at their events:
“Along with other performers, YouthAIDS was supported by Rap and Hip Hop artists like Snoop Dogg and P. Diddy to spread the message…um, who? Those names were a red flag.”
She went on to discuss how she believes Rap/Hip Hop to be a “rape culture” which promotes misogyny and gender inequality:
“As far as I’m concerned, most Rap and Hip Hop music–with its rape culture and insanely abusive lyrics and depictions of girls and women as ‘ho’s’–is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny. I believe that the social construction of gender–the cultural beliefs and practices that divide the sexes and institutionalize and normalize the unequal treatment of girls and women, privilege the interest of boys and men, and, most nefariously, incessantly sexualize girls and women–is the root cause of poverty and suffering around the world.”
So, Judd made an appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show to promote her book (which by the way is a memoir, which makes these “rape culture” passages seem all the more random…) and of course The Roots are Fallon’s house band. So ?uestlove tweeted the following right after her appearance:
“hmmm. at least i got my answer as to why ash judd didn’t give us so much as a nod on her last visit. im a criminal”
Talib Kweli also hit back via Twitter, as did 9th Wonder, who tweeted several times about Judd’s remarks:
“It is proof positive that racism is some form or fashion still exists in dealing with Ashley Judds comments”
So Judd appeared on Simmon’s GlobalGrind on Monday in order plead forgiveness and yet also point out that the comments were taken out of context:
“The outcry regarding my remarks, 2 paragraphs out of my 400+ page book, regarding hip hop and rap, has been astounding as it is out of context…The general theme [now] is to express my gratitude for a chance to learn, to be corrected where I was wrong, to make amends, and hold firm and strong on the original intention and context of points I made, with a commitment to try to do so less clumsily and with more sensitivity in the future.”
“I so regret that my indictment of rape culture as a whole has been interpreted as me blaming rap and hip hop exclusively. That was absolutely not my intention, and I so regret it has had that effect on some people. “
“Thank you to fans of both [Rap and Hip Hop] who have introduced me to artists whose lyrics embody activism and progressive values. I am glad to have more beats for my playlists. I celebrate the music, its meaning, and those who love it.”
In Judd’s defence, she has actually done a lot of humanitarian/charity work over the years involving AIDS/sexual violence etc. But come on, saying that rappers like Diddy and Snoop Dogg shouldn’t be allowed perform for AIDS awareness is just plain dumb, not to mention really offensive. Looking forward to seeing what else is in her memoir! Spotted at HHDX.
