Soundcheck: White Girls Gone Wild – Hip Hop Edition

posted in: Music News • Urban

There’s a new crew in town and they came to play. The White Girl Mob has taken hip hop by storm through a ninja-like internet crawl and some standout stars making big waves.  The Oakland-based crew made mainstream take notice with Kreayshawn’s solo single, Gucci Gucci and V-Nasty’s nasty habit of dropping the n-bomb.

Kreayshawn’s impressive resume includes directing videos for Lil B and the video for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ new single, TheAdventures Of Rain Dance Maggie. She is nominated for ˜Best New Artist’ at the upcoming MTV VMA’s for her single, Gucci Gucci. The viral video received over 3 million hits (watch after the jump), launching the Bay-area beauty into superstardom.

Her rise to fame hasn’t been all smooth sailing.  In recent months, she paraphrased DMX in a Twitter post, using the n-word in the reference.  Many were offended, and the backlash commenced.  The situation made headlines when another Mob member, V-Nasty, used the n-word in her rhymes. Kreayshawn apologized, saying I don’t use that word in my music. My sister V-Nasty says it all the time. I don’t say it in my music. It’s not my place.” Her bandmate’s brazen attitude has done even more damage.

 

“On some real n*gga sh*t…y’all muthaf*ckas ain’t never walked in my shoes, bruh. Y’all ain’t never seen where I came from…That sh*t be hella fake, muthaf*ckas always asking Kreayshawn, ‘Why you gotta say n*gga?’ Is n*gga a f*cking race? Am I offending people? Am I saying it in a disrespectful type of way?”

Where V-Nasty came from is Oakland, a breeding ground for crime and violence, where she had her own run-ins with the law.  Kreayshawn explains, It’s because she grew up different, she goes in and out of jail for armed robbery all the time and her mom calls her that. That’s her stuff.

The justification is more offensive than her use of the word. She seems to think her bad rap gave her a hood pass. What she’s really saying is, I commit crime, I hang out in the hood, I live like an n-word.” Wow.  So black people are criminals, and you are too? Her mom calls her that? The twisted logic behind this rationalization proves the horrific stereotypes the word still carries.

Kreayshawn seems to understand its implications better than her bandmate, voicing her disdain for the habit to numerous media outlets.

“The thing with people gettin’ me mixed up with V-Nasty and HER use of the N-word. It has taken a huge toll on what I been trying to do and what I been trying to push. I hope soon people will see the difference between us even though we are still close friends doesn’t mean I use it too or defend it in any way. The media and blogs have taken the control right out of my hands on that one.”

While Drake has co-signed her swagger, calling her a cutie, others have lashed out at the female emcee. On his latest single, Uncle Otis,” Game goes hard at Kreayshawn, spitting:”If you invented swag, then I invented gangsta / Got one in the chain, but your throat is now in danger / And I don’t wear no Gucci Gucci Fendi Fendi Prada / I’m Charles Louboutin, you n****s ain’t saying nada / Lil white b*tch, better say in your place / You call me a n****, I’mma put the K in your face.”

Game doesn’t want her to use the word at all, on Twitter or elsewhere. “You can’t be playing with that word, some people will take it serious,” he told XXL. “Especially coming from someone that’s [not black]. There’s a lot of tragic history behind it.”

His sentiments were echoed around the internet by offended fans, striking up a national conversation on the use of the word in Kreayshawn’s tweet, and in V-Nasty’s rhymes.  Comedian, Andy Milonakis, weighed in on V-Nasty’s n-bombs, saying I think the only thing valid that anyone can say is that, ˜I don’t like use of the n-word from a white girl or from anyone.’… That’s fair¦ that’s valid.  He seems to echo a common notion that if the word is off-limits, it should be for everyone.

For me, the word is an ugly one, and I would love to see it vanish from everyone’s vocabulary.  However, given its historical context and weight, it’s much harder for me to accept from a white person’s mouth. In the same way a female can affectionately refer to herself as a bitch, but it would be immediately offensive and derogatory if a male refers to her that way. Double standard or not, the speaker changes the meaning.

As far as the music goes, I’m not a fan.  While Kreayshawn’s internet hustle is quite impressive, the resulting product leaves much to be desired.  Check out her MTV performance of her hit, Gucci Gucci below, and be your own judge.