similarly, playing Youssou N’dour im not worried about lyrical content, but playing funk carioca or Dog Murras, i am….

A few weeks ago I DJed a wedding with my great friend, and amazing DJ Reganomics. The wedding was between a Dominican Lady and an African American man. (I write African American and not black because most Dominicans are black anyway and I want to point at geographical/cultural differences.)
Anywayz, although it was a joyful occasion, there was a distinct separation between the two families. So Aaron and I are trying to make everyone dance at once, and he succeeds during a wonderful set of hip to booty beats. He then plays Mentirosa (I think thats the tunes name)by Pitbull and maybe Lil’ Juan. People got off the dance floor and had dirty looks in about 30 seconds. I then took over the wheels and explained to my cohort that maybe a song whose lyrics say “that liar, give her dick ” (or balls, and maybe even eggs, depending on what Spanish speaking country your dialect is from) wasn’t the best idea. He was a bit embarrassed but I assured him that it was an honest mistake, and not too take it to the CULO.
I play a lot of music in Portuguese, a language that I understand very little. If that day at the wedding taught me something, it’s that I should really try to find out what all my songs say. A)To avoid offending folks. B)To avoid being embarrassed and C)To make sure I’m not promoting underage beastiality.

Themz is my dime and a half about it.

This is a thin line we walk as performers in different contexts sometimes.

I’m still waiting for the right context to play the tune.

Nina! always great for new angle. I enjoyed reading your responses on wayne’s inspirational blog post and look fwd to hearing more from you.

Antisuck – right on the money. I’d just like to point out that the reason I bring the tune up is less about casting judgement on whether to agree or disagree with the lyrics or the trend. the question is whether I would air this out in a club setting and promote it which I wouldn’t and my reasons why. I do find it a very interesting sounding tune in the context that wayne points out- fruityloops-era merengue. I have deep rooted love for latintronica and this is a new trend I am keeping a close eye on. I do not condemn rural trends but I am aware of them and I think casting light on an issue and briging into discussion makes for clarity and much later….progress.

Wayne: good ear on the fruit loops presets. I thought about going the technical accomplishment route with the post but thought this the road less travelled. I’m with caro in waiting for the Miti Miti post.

yeah, immediately after i posted that, i realized there’s plenty of stuff in the country to wag your finger at (um…racism/xenophobia). i’m just agreeing that it’s weird to blog about whether or not we condone the lyrics, and pointing out that urban/rural distinctions really do mean something sometimes.

I kinda agree with the comment that its sort of bizarre to blog on whether or not we condone the lyrics – its irrelevent to the fact that this is a situation that exists. Its happening whether or not we’re listening or approving & Poverty and circumstance, as always, obscure the possibility for moral judgements.

but lets be a little bit real here..

Sure we can come up with a million situations where statrape/marriage makes sense: no longer a burden on starving family, family alliances, etc (ie usually women taking the hit for the team) but according to every study ever women who delay the age of marriage are more likely to make informed family planning decisions, better able to demand her husband use protection, provide for her family, and maintain healthy independance – esp important in case of husband abuse or death, etc, im sure we all know this. So I AM gonna go on a limb here, ‘wag my finger at rural trends’, and say telling a single mother in the Dominican Republic that letting her 15 year old find a husband *IS* a bad idea – for all those reasons you mentioned (continued cycle, bad norm).

btw saying we “disagree” with the lyrics does not = condemning people operating under these conditions. that said these lyrics do seem a bit lecherous and while interesting from a sociological perspective isnt something id nessesarily wanna groove to.

I have to admit, if I didnt have a 13 year old daughter I probably would be more comfortable with the song. Hell, when I was 17 and said I was too young, men would sing to me, “You may be young but you’re ready…”, from that Keith Sweat song.

I’ve dealt with men talking “ish” to me since I was 13,nonstop blahblahblah. I accept it as just talk and nothing more.

As a woman who believes that teenaged women (socially children, but physically adult) have rights, desires and drives of their own, I am on the fence regarding the age issue.

Like it or not, it is possible for teen aged females to have fully consensual non exploitative sex. At age 16 most women on earth are married, and the way western countries do things NOW is an aberration. At 16 most girls I know were fully aware that they had needs and their sexual activity wasn’t due to male coercion.

However, I am acutely aware that other factors come into play. Exploitation of young people by those older and more powerful, exploitation of the poor who will do anything to survive etc.

And then, I’m a 37 year old woman who has dated a few men way younger than me. Some were poor,had no families; some I had the feeling had learned to use what they had to find older women to help them. I was and am torn, as I don’t wish to exploit some boy who has learned to prostitute himself to make it, though they ALL say/sing “No me importa que usted sea mayor que yo”.

As a female, I was unaccustomed to having to think of MEN in terms of inequality of power, vulnerability, experience, age etc. I have a responsibility to be aware that my upbringing means the choices I have made were in an entirely different context, to not blithely say “Its all good”. To not listen to music only hearing what I want to hear, but to think how it may contribute to the problems of OTHER people who may not have the resources that I do.

I can laugh off anyone singing to me that he wants to do me, despite me being 14. Maybe my daughter can. A girl whose parents cant support her and who desperately needs a home, may hear that in an entirely different way.

Ultimate Nina Verdict? Song I’d play for myself and with friends who would consider it naughty and tongue in cheek. But not one I’d play around children.

Sorry for blogjacking.

I found your blog via Wayne &Wax. I’ll have to check out your other posts later.