Stormzy AIBU

[MissChananderlerbong]

Prepared to be told I'm being old and boring.
I enjoyed Stormzy's set, he's obviously a progressive liberal guy, and he seems like a good human.
So why the sexist lyrics?
"Finish on her face to top it off (ay)"
"If her friend is a dead ting, take one for the bredren"
"2 peng tings at the entrance" (just feels wrong calling women 'things')
If he was just another artist then fine, but he seems so principled in so many other ways. So I find this odd.

But no-one holds any of those artists up as some shining beacon of modernity do they.

He is a gentleman, fiercely intelligent and with a solid commitment to social justice

That makes it even worse.

Any music with offensive connotation is trash music in my opinion.

You can be a 'modern day poet and story teller' without being a misogynist - 'solid commitment to social justice' - my arse

Those who are disagreeing with me and laughing at me - use your energy teaching your children context instead of policing pop music 👍👍👍

Yes women shut up, because culture, because identity, because mens feelings, because the integrity of the music. And if that is true then it should be across the board so homophobic lyrics are fine, racist lyrics are fine. Let's crack on.

Any actor that has portrayed a misogynist should now be written off, any films with rape/sexual assault scenes should be too. That goes for books aswell.

Music is much the same as acting, its a performance.

Not sure there's ever a right context for 'slut'.

Oh i see - so stormzy's 'acting'?

It's hilarious that posters on a site mainly frequented by women and mothers* notice when songs are shitty about women.

• I know it's a 'parenting' site, but most posters are female, apart from a few dads and a lot of people who come here just to police women's thoughts

Stormzys performing, yes.

So if someone used a racist or homophonic slur, would that be ok because “performance” or “social context.”

Music is much the same as acting, its a performance

Do you think lyrics about raping and sexually abusing women should be played in public spaces? Songs about gay bashing? Songs about abusing children?

It’s just a performance after all.

Am I mis-remembering or was there a big hoohah last Christmas because Fairytale of New York used the word faggot? Can't get much whiter than Shane McGowan.

I can think of many films with homophobic slurs.

He can never win. Stormzy does so much for his community and is very aware of societal issues. I don't care if he occasionally raps about cumming on a woman's face. He's doing so much to end gangs/youth violence and is incredibly involved within the black community. The scholarship thing was amazing. But no, let's just criticise a black man for actually standing up and supporting his community. White feminism has become such a parody.

Stormzy has been around for a few years. You have to ask, why now is everyone picking apart his lyrics, because he headlined Glastonbury by the looks of it.

It is funny how (some ) mumsnetters are keen to challenge the lyrics from a grime / rap artist ( I don't understand a word he sings myself , but he isn't my demographic) but you see any thread about celebs or people in film or tv and it's the women that get the most grief , by other women too.
I've done it myself ' I don't like her much' when I've never met them and never will. Being on this forum has made me realise I need to change my mindset.
Reading about Stormzy is also an education as I don't know much about him.

If he is saying that violence is wrong and to respect each other, then this is good. I hope he funded girls through uni as well as the boys as well. That is all positive.
He should be promoting this type of behaviour and be a good role model. Society needs it.
I don't like grime myself but his been around for years and years so it's sad his not done this type of festival before.
( says more about the promoters than him as they have had American rappers on before with even worse lyrics etc. )

There were complaints too when Jay Z was going to do a set at Glastonbury. I don't get it. Is Glastonbury the sacred oath of white indie men with guitars singing solo? Is that why everyone seems to lose their shit whenever a black man has the audacity to encroach on that safe space?

Not sure why the word slut angers people.

If I behave I'm a slutty way I expect to be called a slut

Just like if I said racist things I'm a racist

Or if I behave in an arrogant way, im arrogant.

Barely heard of him (shows age). 😳😳

It was stormzy singing bloody Shape of You that pissed me off during that set. Urgh I hate that song.

Also I think the reason people are (supposedly-not sure I agree) ‘holding Stormzy to higher standards’ is because he holds himself to high standards. He’s very politically engaged and passionate about equality. Thus when he writes about women in a similar way to other rappers/ageing rockers its like cognitive dissonance

I

Stormzy set up a publishing brand. The first book he published was called ‘The black girls manifesto for change’

#Merky Books was set up by publishers Penguin Random House and Stormzy in June 2018 to find and publish the best writers of a new generation and to publish the stories that are not being heard. #Merky Books aims to open up the world of publishing, and this year has launched a New Writer's Prize and will soon be launching a #Merky Books traineeship

He used his spot at Glastonbury to highlight issues such as racial diversity, knife crime/violence and the justice system. Yet rather than take any of that onboard and have threads about that, it’s about a few questionable lyrics.

People don’t like a black, working class bloke getting air time.

He’s not going to be perfect, he’s grown up in a world that’s different to most mumsnetters and you won’t understand it. I just don’t think it’s fair to discredit him as a misogynist based on a few lyrics when you don’t know anything else he’s done for woman.

I also think it’s very naive to dismiss suggestions of unconscious racism when it’s right in front of you that plenty of white men and woman use far more offensive lyrics that go unquestioned whereas everyone loves to jump on stormzy.

A slut is a pejorative term only used for women, and as misogyny is rife in gang culture I would have thought if St.Ormzy (hallelujah!) - was really interested in ending it, he would tackle that as well.

IIRC, Stormzy participated in a bit of homophobic tweeting in his time.