Sugar’s Take

Dear Roselyn,

We all know that sex sells. We can act like we’re too ignorant or self righteous to believe it to be true, but it is. In my opinion, most marketing schemes are designed to appeal to white men between the ages of 18 and 35. From beer to shaving cream, it’s either about what he wants or what he wants to be, or both. That being said, 9 times out of 10 a music video is enticing the viewer to want the artist or be like the artist. Tack on the fact that most artists’ careers, these days, are built on image and hooks as opposed to talent, and you have a sexual innuendo fest.

I once believed artists without talent used their bodies, I mean image, to sell records. Then along came Christina Aguilera, shattering that theory. That girl can sing, but she went through a phase where she wore nothing but ho uniforms (as Dave Chappelle would call it). It was right around the Moulin Rouge thing. Now when Labelle did “Lady Marmalade” in 1975, it was highly controversial. At that time, folks were not ready for that kind of public beckoning in any language.

I also believe that women of color are taught, told or encouraged to stifle their sexuality. As a result, women are slightly ashamed of their bodies or, quite the opposite, parading it around like a carnival costume. We all know that young girls leave home with one outfit and change into another once they get to school.  Like Private school girls rolling up their skirts to show more leg. Exploring sexuality is a normal part of human development.

We should try to create balance. We have to tell our children, nieces, nephews, second cousins and play cousins that it’s ok to be sexy, cute ,  fine,  handsome and all that, but it has to be carried with respect and responsibility. Is Ciara a little provocative? Yes, but she is not much different than Aaliyah (rest her soul) was…. or that young dance team that was banned from performing on television. I’ve seen babies –that can barely talk or read– dance crazier than that…let’s concentrate on them. There are some cases where the videos go too far, but I don’t think Ciara is the one taking it there.

Ed’s Take

Sista Roselyn,

To be blunt, artistic freedom should always rain down like a mighty stream.  But, today’s climate of media consolidations,  financial pressures, and profit driven motives will have sistas shaking what mamma gave them faster than you can yell exploitation.   With all due seriousness, the issue is gravely deeper than Ciara and signals shadiness in an industry that advocates conformity and looks upon ingenuity with unbridled disdain.  Here in lies the” Halle Berry Factor”of the modern day female artist: push the boundaries artistically and risk meager sales or SEX up your image in KING magazine in hopes of greater exposure (no pun intended) and killer album sales.  Sadly, ass gets more attention than the art.

Tina Turner  has always had legs of a goddess and personified sexy soul.  Eartha Kitt was famous for her sensual feline purr.  But at the end of the day, they were viewed as whole human beings with distinct talents and worldviews.  What really gets my goat– about modern day music and entertainment– is  how we have allowed  black women to be reduced to body parts and seen as disposable entities whose singular purpose is servicing (on poles or otherwise) men.   From the slave ship to the stripper pole, black women have historically fought for control of their reproductive lives. Black female identity is often a very static enterprise without much cultural wiggle room. Either you are a sinner or saint. Ciara should be able to flaunt her “grown women “sexuality and gyrate in spandex until BET brings back “Uncut,” but that should not be the only image we have of black women in the media. Black women should be able to exhibit sexual freedom and uninhibited passion without being labeled a ho.  And they should be able to keep their clothes on, maintain their self respect, and still sell a few records.   We must demand balance and options.

If we go back to the days when Grandmas transferred wisdom while scratching the heads of future generations with Sulfur 8, aunties warned you that bad boys really aint that cool, and grown women valued community more than the club, we will speed up that day when self love returns to glory.