Ludacris won a Grammy a few weeks ago for Best Rap Album that included a track called Runaway. The lyrics are deep and the song actually makes me cry so I don’t listen to it that often.
The video features the real hotline number for the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) and in fact, they experienced a surge in calls after the video started to air and again when the song was a part of the Grammy performances. NRS has decided to honor Ludacris for his work with the song and the Ludacris Foundation.
Now a lot of youth workers are not fans of rap music. I’ve witnessed many arguments that started over young people’s choices in music. I believe there are far more important discussions to have and would rather find what I can appreciate in the music that moves youth. And yes, that makes me a fan of reggaeton, rap and many kinds of more underground hip hop music. Through seeing what youth see in the music and getting into the rhythms and lyrics I’ve been able to have much more substantial conversations about the music’s messages – both positive and negative – without arguing.
My one real criticism of the Ludacris track ‘Runaway’ is that it focuses entirely on girls and really, plenty of young men and trans youth runaway from home because of sexual abuse, neglect and problems that parents simply refuse to understand too.
You can see the video by going to the foundation website. click here Or here:
See, but how to deal with the cognitive dissonance in the fact that this is the same dude who wrote Pimpin’ All Over the World?
(And you know I’ve been mulling over this question for as long as you’ve had this blog entry posted, right? Yes, it takes me near 6 months to articulate, well, anything…)
I think Chris Bridges (aka Ludacris) is sincere in his efforts to address youth who run away. Even more so I respect Mary J. Blige who partnered with him in the video.
That he is someone who has performed songs derogatory to people in the sex trade makes him more complicated. The song you reference isn’t even close to some. In the song you mention he’s more talking “pimpin” as living an expensive lifestyle with no hint of sex for money. But youth in the sex trade see themselves as complicated too.
They may see the fun of partying even if they know that some girls, including themselves, may be assaulted at the same parties. They may distance themselves from girls they label as “hos” and “just nasty” even if they realize that people may include them in those same insults. They remember some of their own actions positively and others with regret.
Well, there you go with your nuanced understandings of stuff. :) I totally hear what you’re saying, it’s just hard for me to disengage from knee-jerk reaction impulses at times. And for the record, the Runaway video and song made me cry, too, so my response wasn’t entirely cynical.
P.S. My seven-year-old got up from bed and came out into the living room as I was playing the youtube file you linked in your comment. Um, awkward!