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What Are the Lyrics Saying?

By Hilltop Editorial Board

We all hear about degrading hip-hop lyrics. And we hear about the lyrics that promote violence and illegal acts. But what about the songs that we think are totally innocent?

A Hilltop staffer spoke about her church choir doing the "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" dance, during a service in hopes of intriguing their younger attendees of the service. Perhaps a less degrading song would have been more appropriate to encourage children to want to come to church every Sunday.

Another Hilltop staffer confessed that he did not even know the Soulja Boy song was saying "Superman that ho." He just heard "Superman" and would do the dance. Furthermore, does anyone know what "Superman that ho" really means? It's gruesome.

Simply Google "Superman that ho" and when the Urban Dictionary link pops up, click it. Same goes for the Spiderman-which is almost just as gruesome. Girls especially, will probably be disgustingly surprised at what they are singing and dancing to.

Doing "the Heisman on that ho" is another example of a lyric that may not have a well-known meaning. It's pretty funny how girls find themselves doing the Heisman on that ho all the time, probably without realizing that the intent of the song was to degrade them. Which came first, the lyrics or the meanings?

To carry on about degrading lyrics in hip-hop music is unnecessary here because everyone has heard that tale before.

Maybe it's the beat that gets us. Maybe it's those catchy synthesized beats that entrap us, and make us immediately dance as soon as the song is played in the club.

But it's those same beats and lyrics that make people act on those vulgarities, and then you get the predicament that T.I. is currently in.

You think you're cool because you have guns and drugs, but you rap about it, then question how in the world you got caught? How did that happen? Let's just start thinking a little bit more, people, and we won't end up like T.I.

Articles in the "Voices" section represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Black College Wire.

By the editorial board of the Hilltop at Howard University.