The debate over lyrics that promote the worst in our culture is an ongoing affair that we all secretly deal with. It can be difficult to define the line between intentions to either sound the alarm or glorify atrocious acts of violence. As such controversy drives what the music industry seems to expect from Hip-Hop, these two motivations have become blended together – drowned and shrouded in either the obscurity or bright lights of the center stage. Specifically, domestic violence has drawn such momentum and scrutiny. From Alice Walker’s "Color Purple" to Camron’s Purple Haze, misogyny poses an all too real threat focused specifically within African-American culture. But in all honesty, this cultural scourge neither thrives solely in ethnic distinction nor the Hip-Hop phenomenon. It exists as society’s underside as a whole that threatens our very source of life. After all, a bruised apple can’t fall far from the tree that’s been too ravaged to produce fruitful seeds. “Battery’s Not Included” I’ve taken a vow of poetic non-silence To disavow and correct a sense of domestic violence. The Palm Pilot I write with guides this as it strikes its latent surface. So to stop hits, I’ll drop this. When the cops miss, I’ll admonish… Battery topics are catastrophic when they break the circuit. Somewhere along the Alpha line Some primates crossed the alkaline. Some men are satisfied smacking and being rude to women. I don’t care how much acid she spits, NO woman EVER asks to be hit… No woman wants to match bruises of blackened blueness with hues of crimson. To operate relationships, the battery’s not included. If he stomps you into disgracefulness – such flattery’s abusive. Let me gladly stop the foolishness – real men don’t bruise or hit their better halves. And just so you know, that pink bunny he gave you Can’t excuse being a beating dummy to channel his rage through… As long as he tramples his way through – such kinetics can never last. Whether an internal bruise or verbal abuse, You’d best believe it’s still hurtin’ you. Certain brutes choose rudeness to influence their ladies’ worth. Undermining the treasure within women Un-designs their measure suspended in gems… As the extent of such men upends them with hateful words. Such emotional scars left run deeper than the physical. Such vocal alarms set leave discreet residuals. They’re completely pivotal as they load interior bombs set. If this is his tune – dislocate him from your hips. If dude berates you like a b*tch You ought to replace him by the pitch of his inferior complex. Even worse, there should be no quicker way to draw a charge Than when liquor plays a part in battery – small or large. Cell units should foster and guard them if AA’s part of their past. Alcohol only worsens the scenario As amalgam brawls merge with barley flows… Only sorry bros spar their souls’ match once they’ve left the bar smashed. Whether abusive drunks or unruly punks, These men should use a ‘rule of thumb.’ Though disproved by some – its lore should be viable for some. It states that women can’t get hit by a blunter source Than anything wider than a thumb of force… So whether she’s collided with one punch or four – she’s liable to shake, slide him and run. Sadly though, when females’ strength is beaten out of them With strategy blows detailed by heathens that pound them, There’s a power outage expounded by cowards who assault their worth. As they’re allowed to devour our brightest sparks, They sour our women’s timeless marks… It’s high time they’re tossed – lest they trample afoot the true salt of the earth. © 2005 Reggie Legend Steel Waters, Inc. reggielegend@hotmail.com
The debate over lyrics that promote the worst in our culture is an ongoing affair that we all secretly deal with. It can be difficult to define the line between intentions to either sound the alarm or glorify atrocious acts of violence. As such controversy drives what the music industry seems to expect from Hip-Hop, these two motivations have become blended together – drowned and shrouded in either the obscurity or bright lights of the center stage.
Specifically, domestic violence has drawn such momentum and scrutiny. From Alice Walker’s "Color Purple" to Camron’s Purple Haze, misogyny poses an all too real threat focused specifically within African-American culture. But in all honesty, this cultural scourge neither thrives solely in ethnic distinction nor the Hip-Hop phenomenon. It exists as society’s underside as a whole that threatens our very source of life. After all, a bruised apple can’t fall far from the tree that’s been too ravaged to produce fruitful seeds.
“Battery’s Not Included”
I’ve taken a vow of poetic non-silence
To disavow and correct
a sense of domestic violence.
The Palm Pilot I write with guides this
as it strikes its latent surface.
So to stop hits, I’ll drop this.
When the cops miss, I’ll admonish…
Battery topics are catastrophic
when they break the circuit.
Somewhere along the Alpha line
Some primates crossed the alkaline.
Some men are satisfied
smacking and being rude to women.
I don’t care how much acid she spits,
NO woman EVER asks to be hit…
No woman wants to match bruises
of blackened blueness with hues of crimson.
To operate relationships,
the battery’s not included.
If he stomps you into disgracefulness –
such flattery’s abusive.
Let me gladly stop the foolishness –
real men don’t bruise or hit their better halves.
And just so you know,
that pink bunny he gave you
Can’t excuse being a beating dummy
to channel his rage through…
As long as he tramples his way through –
such kinetics can never last.
Whether an internal bruise or verbal abuse,
You’d best believe it’s still hurtin’ you.
Certain brutes choose rudeness
to influence their ladies’ worth.
Undermining the treasure within women
Un-designs their measure suspended in gems…
As the extent of such men upends them
with hateful words.
Such emotional scars left
run deeper than the physical.
Such vocal alarms set
leave discreet residuals.
They’re completely pivotal
as they load interior bombs set.
If this is his tune –
dislocate him from your hips.
If dude berates you like a b*tch
You ought to replace him by the pitch
of his inferior complex.
Even worse, there should be
no quicker way to draw a charge
Than when liquor plays a part
in battery – small or large.
Cell units should foster and guard
them if AA’s part of their past.
Alcohol only worsens the scenario
As amalgam brawls merge with barley flows…
Only sorry bros spar their souls’
match once they’ve left the bar smashed.
Whether abusive drunks or unruly punks,
These men should use a ‘rule of thumb.’
Though disproved by some –
its lore should be viable for some.
It states that women can’t
get hit by a blunter source
Than anything wider
than a thumb of force…
So whether she’s collided
with one punch or four –
she’s liable to shake, slide him and run.
Sadly though, when females’
strength is beaten out of them
With strategy blows detailed
by heathens that pound them,
There’s a power outage
expounded by cowards
who assault their worth.
As they’re allowed to devour
our brightest sparks,
They sour our
women’s timeless marks…
It’s high time they’re tossed –
lest they trample afoot
the true salt of the earth.
© 2005 Reggie Legend
Steel Waters, Inc.
reggielegend@hotmail.com
