Which songs come to mind when you think about disrespecting Black women, using racist lyrics, and encouraging violence? If history is any indication, it might be one of these popular tunes.
#1: The Star Spangled Banner
Racism has long been a part of popular American music. But this is one of the most overlooked lines in the American National Anthem: “No refuge could save the hireling and slave/ from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.”
#2: Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones are one of the most famous bands in the world. One of their most well-known songs, “Brown Sugar,” is about enslaved Black women being raped and beaten by white men! The band no longer plays the song at their concerts, but has defended the lyrics.
#3: D.R.U.G.S.
Iggy Azalea is a white woman from Australia, but that doesn’t stop her from rapping in a “blaccent” and making songs calling Black people offended by her lyrics “haters.” In her song “D.R.U.G.S.,” she referred to herself as a “runaway slave master!”
White people have often labeled Black music dangerous, but white music has normalized white terrorism and discrimination. These lyrics remind us that anti-Blackness is built into EVERY aspect of American culture, including music.