Is rap corrupting America?

[Dariush]

and i agree with you on muslems and arabs
i mean imnot against islam but i think persians have to realize they can be a good
muslim with out trying to be a damn arab

[ProudPersian]

Persians should just try and be themselves. When Persians were themselves their civilization was the pinnacle of the world. After 1400 years of trying to be someone else they don't look so hot.

BTW I think Kurds are kind of dumb. They want their own country and identity, and then wonder why they get smacked in the face. I mean Kurds, Persians, Gilani, lurs,and whatever else are all from the same descendence. If they just came together and formed one group or nation they would all benefit so much more.

[Rasputin]

BTW I think Kurds are kind of dumb. <-<<-<-<-<- P.Persian pls don't talk like that. Thx

[IQ]

mard tar az kurd haa kasi nist. i had some kurd friends they were really nice.

[Dariush]

give it afew more years buddy

[ProudPersian]

I didn't mean Kurds are dumb as individuals, I meant the choices they make as a people are not very productive. But Persians are even worse. They haven't really gotten anywhere in the past 1400 years, and Im saying that as a Persian.

[Dariush]

we were doin okay till 27years ago.

[ProudPersian]

yeah, the shah was by no means good, but I guess far beyond anything these mullahs could offer.

BTW DariusM, at least you live with Kurdish wankstas, at least they are closely related to Persians. I got to live with white wannabe ganstas (wiggers) and black and Hispanic wansktas at my school. Although some more gangs are moving here from Chicago and Milwaukee.

[Dariush]

lol kurds werent that bad when i was in highschool
just this past 3,4 years theyve been f****** up real bad

[Rasputin]

Swearing rappers

On Friday 8th of June, I participated in a live radio program for the BBC Persian service's "Rooze Hafom" program. It was organized by Siavash Ardalan, and another person they kept referring to as the "Persian underground rap expert". I have been listening to Persian rap since it first came out. I have helped with programs in relation to Persian underground music for English SBS and our local radio. I also did a 3000 word analysis on Persian rap, and a speech on the roots of Persian rap during a conference in 2004 in Sydney. I have done a lot of research into Persian underground. But I never called myself an expert, and certainly producing these kinds of programs does not make me or the BBC hosts Siavash Ardalan or Behzad Bolour journalists. They are simply entertainers.

A journalist is someone who does extensive research and analysis into a topic and is trying to tell a story from an unbiased angle. The BBC program was purely entertainment; they started with discussions of whether Iranian rap is good, and whether it is okay to have so much swearing in rap lyrics. I was the only one to point out the issue of patriarchy in 'some' Iranian rap. The men callers and particularly Bolour seemed to be in complete denial of the fact that Iran is a male dominated society. I put this question on the table that why do some rappers like Zedbazi have to be so degrading towards Iranian women in their music, and nothing was said in reply to this question, instead I was told by Bolour that there are also women rappers. It's interesting how they wanted to distract from the topic.

Persian rap is a new genre; it is developed by Iranian youth, youth being summerised by a big majority of Iranian guys who voice their opinions and frustrations about their lives and the society. Something like a ratio of 15 proper and well recognized Iranian male rappers/rap groups and 2 Iranian female rappers who do not have proper studios or equipment to exercise with and because they are women they do not get the exposure their male counterparts do; singing for women is illegal in Iran, so if they are caught, not only they will be prosecuted for voicing their opinions but also for singing and Bolour and men like Bolour want to justify Zedbazi's abusive lyrics by saying there are also women singers. Thanks Bolour, it is good to know we have "experts" and "journalists" like you to represent us.

The Iranian government has put our people in a confined space, in a box where they are told what to wear, what to say and what to think, so these rappers have used this Western genre to voice their own dissatisfaction. But now there is a huge problem, this new tool is being used to reinforce the very patriarchal issues in the Iranian society. There is enough damage done to women's rights in Iran, enough women are being raped on the streets of Iran, enough women are being burnt after rape, enough of them are thrown out of houses for their bothers' and fathers' reputations. Enough is enough, and now this popular genre is being used to reinforce these same issues, that, it is okay for a woman to be abused and they encourage unprotected sex in their music. See a translation of this song below.

In the song 'Berim Fazaa', Zedbazi rap:

"hey girl come and fire my cigarette ... she loves your wet balls on her ears ... the chick I ***-**** has to have blonde *** hair ... do you know what Willy is thinking of now? That your body is sexy and blonde ... don't give negative vibes ... I always like girls with died hair colors, but once a girl had black hair ... I went towards her, she told me to chase her ... and she told me to give her my number ... but I told her, she's gona wake up next to me in the morning ... Everyone knows I have a nice dick, and I'm the one who's given it to all the chicks here because these 'sluts' (*****h) deserve no better. Let's go to a room so I can show you my dick ... I got drugged and screwed this chick ... "

Okay so what did Behzad Bolour say in reply to this? He said that these rappers are simple expressing their sexual experiences, and denied the fact that this music is putting unrealistic and false expectations on Iranian women and that it is painting a false image of our women. This sort of music is not only a shame to Iranian women but also an embarrassment to those Iranian men that want and respect independent and educated women.

I have nothing against the freedom of speech in relation to sexual expression, but everything has a line. Unfortunately Iranians have always been controlled so they think if they are not told to do something and they do it because there is no one to tell them off then it must be okay because they can get away with it. Do we always need to be supervised? People need to learn to handle the freedom of speech and not abuse it. These rappers will cost freedom for the Iranians that are living in Iran.

It is actually really interesting to know that Zedbazi (particularly in 'Berim Fazaa') describe their story as living in Northern Tehran and going to an Iranian party, when in fact they are living in London! They are as far away as they can be from rules and idolize rappers like Eminem and claim to be top niche rappers from the Middle East but they are from London. I don't quite get how that works, since when London is in Middle-East? (Please refer to the photo essay on Zedbazi on Iranian.com)

There are some very few Iranian guys that are doing the right thing. Very few who actually want a woman for who she is and they don't constantly try to change her, tell her what to do or put her down. There are Iranian men who want a partner to live a life side by side of them, and on the other hand there are Iranian men who will continue to be patriarchal (mard salar) and think they are being caring, thoughtful, protective, macho ...

We girls from the day we are born, we are told "don't do this because you are a girl", "don't jump because you are a girl" and "don't shout because you are a girl" -- not because it is not appropriate but because me, you, we are a girl. Well I tell all those people who are against the growth of women, I tell them to shut up and listen. I might not be able to rap, but I know how to swear too, and I tell you to shut the **** up and listen, because women are rising, women will learn not to put up with your nonsense and if you don't clean up your act, you will meet someone just like yourself who will treat you the way you deserve -- like a man slut. Men dare to call women sluts for expressing their sexuality, they judge us for having premarital sex but just like BBC's Bolour said, it is okay because these male rappers are simply expressing their sexuality.

Abusing women must not become the new entertainment. In the BBC radio show that I participated in, most of the women that called did not say anything about the way the women are portrayed in the music but they said they are not happy that there is swearing in the music because "they can not listen to the music when parents are around". This shows that a big majority of women in Iran are brainwashed. Brainwashed from the day they are born, just like I said before, they have always been told they are less than men, so when they hear it in the music they think it is okay. These women would also criticize a fellow woman for expressing her sexuality, and would agree with a man that she is a whore, but if a guy does it, then he is just another man. There is not a word that exists for men who are being sluts. This again proves my point that why it has never been a problem for men in history to sleep around and explore their "sexuality".

[Rasputin]

Some of you men will read this article and feel happier about your gender, about the fact that you are so empowered in the Iranian society. I went to Iran this year, when I came back all my male Iranian acquaintances excitedly asked me if I had an awesome time there, they were very surprised by my reaction, that I said, no I did not have an awesome time. I do not take pleasure in receiving harassments when I'm walking down the street. I do not take pleasure in getting my vagina touched when I'm standing in the metro. It is not okay. These men need to stop putting the blame on the women, that it was her that tempted me. This is completely irrelevant but to your information I wasn't wearing anything provoking, nothing tight, and nothing sexy.

So the point I'm tying to draw is, music such as Zedbazi's encourages this kind of harassment and behavior. Women will think this kind of behavior is normal, so in the future they will not take action against it, but to say this I know that there is very little that Iranian women can do, particularly in terms of divorce and rights. That is why I want to change the mindset of Iranian men. Do not mistreat your women. You young men are the future fathers and husbands. You are the future leaders in media and politics. You guys form the future society of Iran. Rap music is serious powerful stuff and that is why if it is misused it will create more despair for our society. Why not use this popular medium in a way that can bring change? If people are listening to you, why don't you do something meaningful with it?

Zedbazi couldn't care less about Iranian women, or the Iranian society for that matter. They have gone to London and realized their dark features aren't attractive. They got sucked in by the Western media and video clips shown on MTV, resulting in creating their false consciousness with personality characteristics that are super fictional. People who listen to their music need to understand that their music is fiction, similar to the movie 300. It was all fiction, but we Persians felt really angry didn't we? Then why is it okay for Zedbazi to misrepresent Iranian women and not okay for Hollywood to misrepresent Persians in 300? Stop being such hypocrites and get over your tiny manhood, massive egos and little petty personalities.

I was very disappointed with BBC's program on Persian rap. There is nothing attractive about inviting 40 callers who each get 20 seconds to say what they think about Persian rap, however it would have been more meaningful to direct a message from all the comments, and in the future do not refer to one of your colleagues as an expert. It's like the fox calling on his tail for evidence. The last time I checked the Journalism Code of Conduct I was told a journalist is supposed to stay objective and unbiased.

Persian so called "News" providers and "experts" please do your research, and do not feed your own opinions to the Iranian public who do not have direct access to all the News.

Iranian women please next time you are told by a guy you need to change that certain aspect of yourself because he doesn't like it, stand up for your right and tell him not to try and change you. Don't let him intimidate you.

Big majority of Iranian men: wake up and start treating us as equals.

I have dated Iranian men where at first I thought they were intellectual, but later he told me I'm not good enough because he wants a girl that is younger than him (he was 22, wanted a 16 year old) so he can influence her and shape her the way he wants. This is called objectification of women. The notion that we are not represented by our minds but by how we can comply and conform to our man and his 'visions'.

Deep inside of a big portion of Iranian men, there is this substance engraved in their personalities to dominate and change, regardless of how much they say the want smart independent women, they don't mean it, they get jealous and competitive and it's not all their fault, his mother has a lot to do with it too. So if we as women shape ourselves, our children will learn from us, our children will grow up to respect other people and women, and you as the future mother in law will not be the Madar Shohar from hell.For your information, currently I am not married, I am living with my German boyfriend happily and not only he has the most beautiful soul on earth, he is also the sexiest man I have ever met in my life. A man can be macho, and have substance without being patriarchal, selfish, self indulgent and gender-biased.

Usually men who carry on about their manhood, they are the ones who have the tiny ones or if have a good size manhood but don't know what to do with it. A big majority of Iranian men do not know how to please their women and a big portion of Iranian women have never experienced orgasm. I suggest to Willy, MJ and Hidden to go and take some sex courses, strap on a condom on and practice some safe sex so they can learn how to pleasure a woman, because owning just a penis is no longer flattering.

[zubin]

there is absolutely nothing currupting about good rap music. if anything, and understanding the context and true meaning of the words, it is poetic and inspiring.

[maryam9]

a quote which is related to this thread,

"There's a lot of comedy on television. Does that cause comedy in the streets? - Dick Cavett

[indian_blues]

"There's a lot of comedy on television. Does that cause comedy in the streets? - Dick Cavett

Yes..