Should Action Bronson's lyrics be considered hate speech?
Is Action Bronson, the rapper behind the controversial song Consensual Rape, being arbitrarily singled out in a sea of misogynist rap lyrics?
Rapper Action Bronson has attracted the ire of activists who want to squeeze him out of Toronto's upcoming North By Northeast (NXNE) festival. They say his lyrics are violently misogynistic, and take issue with songs like Consensual Rape.
He's already been removed from a free show at Yonge-Dundas square.
Given that the objectification of women in hip hop lyrics is nothing new, we ask: why Action Bronson, and why now? Should song lyrics be classified as hate speech? What are the limits of absurdist performances?
Joining Shad to discuss the topic:
- Rodrigo Bascunan, author, producer and encyclopedia of hip-hop knowledge.
- Anupa Mistry, arts and culture writer for publications like Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and VICE.