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When Conscious Rappers Live That Misogynistic Life
Too many times, a progressive image has crumbled under misogynistic acts
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
Back in 1998, André 3000 put his own spin on that old adage about judging a book by its cover. “Is every nigga with dreads for the cause?” he mused rhetorically on the title track of OutKast’s third album, Aquemini. “Is every nigga with golds for the fall?” The point was clear: Seeing ain’t always believing, especially for his materialistic and conscious rap peers. And more than two decades later, the answers to his questions feel clearer than ever.
Earlier this month, in the wake of the death of The Roots’ Malik B., singer Jaguar Wright hopped on Instagram to reminisce. And with that trip down memory lane, she made some alarming allegations against artists many considered to be righteous. Among the charges, she accused Common of sexually assaulting her, Talib Kweli of hiding in a green room and watching while women changed clothes, and The Roots — with whom she worked early in her career — of fostering an environment that was generally unsafe for women. Of course fans were shocked by the as-yet-unproven claims, due to the pedestal on which these conscious acts have long been…
