Lupe Fiasco sparks a conversation and discussion with the powerful video for “Bitch Bad,” the second single from the 30-year-old Chicago rapper's upcoming fourth album, "Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part 1," which addresses the overuse of the word "bitch" in hip-hop culture, is slated to drop digitally and physically on September 25th.Fiasco may be best known for delivering fans his unforgettable debut album "Food & Liquor," but no matter what, the LP the Chicago lyricist always manages to give us food for thought. In "Bitch Bad," the outspoken MC lyrically contemplates the long-term psychological effects of the word "bitch," by weaving together a narrative of both a young boy and girl who are separately exposed to the degrading language. He once again uses provocative imagery to get his message across in the visuals for the gallery’s dissection. Perhaps the new clip will purvey the track's intent better than the mp3 did.
The visual according to Fiasco aims to elevate the Hip Hop dialogue around women beyond the all too common 'booty' and 'bitches,' and also takes on the stereotypical imagery of the Hip Hop thug placing these stereotypes in blackface portraying them as modern day minstrels. It was shot in a retro style, and filmed on a stage in a theater, to emphasize the idea that we're being told a story with a lesson to be learned. Fiasco makes sure to be as respectful as possible, though perhaps a bit on the nose, the video certainly adds weight to Fiasco's in depth breakdown of the word.
Young boys and girls watch the Chicago MC narrate a play in three acts that hopes to deconstruct the word “bitch” in hip-hop songs and show its negative affects it has in shaping the mindsets of children in the African-American community. Act One narrates how young men learn and interpret the term, Act Two narrates the same for young women, and Act Three demonstrates the communication clash amongst the two groups. As Fiasco discussed with MTV Rap-Fix, he hopes that by starting the conversation, kids will continue the discussion themselves and hopefully make a change of how they view (and call) themselves and others.
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