Clear The Air, Part four: ‘Can’t a Girl go Ahead without giving Head?’

First off, I need to admit my crush on Ginsu. Like FAM, I have a thing –it is only a thing and I like to keep it at that. In fact when I heard she gone gospel it was like a turn on FAM. We all know a crush often leads to burning – Atlas and Gasuza would  agree more, Crush and Burn! Am not planning to burn though! UG hip hop has amazing females which if you are like me might think of possibilities together. There are really many attractive things about Lady Slyke (who is married), MC Yallah and not to forget Saint C.A – if I was aiming at relationship besides hip hop you will definitely quote AJO: “Cougar Town is in here”

But hey, if I wish to date a femcee; I would make a move on the basis that is off false or even delusional promissory whines.

To the actual agenda which I think the intro slightly tried to put in focus subtly, let’s go on.

Around mid this year, Cleo The Sphynx posted on her social media and said: “Can’t a girl go ahead without giving head” and for a minute this was a sharp piercing knife in my back. I don’t know about others who read it. For Ugandan Hip hop this is one of the rhetoric of the year for me. In this piece am not here to break down what head is-besides you already know or is planning to get to, the know.

I would like you to take giving head more like sexual transaction quid proqo without mutual intimacy more like scratch back and I will or not scratch yours.

A couple of weeks ago I was challenged to have more female artists on the NuveyLive Podcast and for a moment I was thinking I hadn’t done enough to invite some. I started counting and realised I had reached out to many who likely didn’t return my messages for reasons best known to them. But then I thought about those I had already hosted and I started counting: Cleo The Sphynx, Keko, Tushi Polo, Shirley May, Agee, Ninja C and MC Vein. Moments later I recalled, Race T and that was it. The challenge felt like the podcast doesn’t support females.

According to the names already mentioned above there I don’t think so. The question that should be put together is: does the industry really support Female rappers and artists (graffiti, DJ, Breaking)?

As a human being there are so many short comings that can blur our professional self. On my way from Play01’s Jinja Bred listening party (October 5^th) I started pondering and I realised the presence of female rappers was low and on the performance list there was none. Cleo’s statement came to mind just out of the blue.

Can’t a girl go ahead without giving head?

Yes – is the first answer. Why? Giving head isn’t the only way up or wherever you want to be at! I remember interviewing Race T, on Episode 7 last year and she told me, in paraphrase: Of course am beautiful and you know what that means man. In other words she acknowledges girls tend to be held back by men or f**k boys hoping to get a piece in order to transcend them. Race T told us of her side job and all that keeps her going, which is one way she stayed steady.

Similar to the above, Shirley gave us her story and explaining why girls and even young boys get exploited because, they think it is a one way ticket. If girls are empowered; that is they have a job to make some money and be able to afford studio and all necessary things, then it is a win, win!

What if they don’t have a job? Patience the only response I can give.

I wouldn’t say I know well how various females in the country managed to make it in the highly male dominated industry. And when Cleo made this statement am certain someone or more people likened her to giving head to go ahead. Truth is, globally the attitude of men and some women is that pessimistic!

How can a girl make boss moves amongst so many men?

Parents have a big role as well to do. Girls can be supported and even the boys too. If only many kids are open to their parents about what they want to be or to do: It would be great and the parents would be left with the task to support their children.  Shirley May on episode 19 said her dad supports her full time. He adds to her video fees if she handles the audio.  Ain’t that a G-thang?

Community has a hand in ensuring girls don’t sell their souls just to make it in life. The truth is we do anything for that cookie as Benny Black recently rapped.  People will be true to self if community makes an effort to be true to itself too.

Still asking, Can’t a girl go ahead without giving head really?

Well No!

There seems to be so much moral decadence and for some it is the only choice. It is a slay move.  “It is my life, my career” you might be told. Sleeping with so and so popular artist is all they might need to boost their career. This is because there perception is wired in that way. When the girl looks at a short time thing, no she won’t go ahead without giving head.

Uganda, like most countries; patriarchy is at a forefront and definitely a male is at the fore of almost everything. Many music executives are male; the whole industry is male dominated. It is hard to imagine Diva dominance. The systems we have created just frustrate the proper way females can make it through. It shouldn’t surprise you, if a certain female rapper moves with a pack of wolves – it is for her protection and it is to push you away-hunting lion. Or maybe that’s the crew she rather gives head to.

Little or no research is done   at all yet knowledge keeps this culture in momenta. A naïve artist with no idea of what, where and how will find themselves in such a situation – manipulation and worse. Platforms like the Hip Hop Boot Camp are some of the few existing hopes. May be this piece should be yet another and what will follow.

I have also to mention; perception is reality. Some young artists think what they hear is true or should be. So they might be loose with the legs without anyone asking and simply get one track produced out of the five promised for an EP we will wait for, for a decade.

Are you wondering where my crush on Ginsu falls? Unlike some of us, we appreciate that we might feel a certain way and let it be easy. We wouldn’t want to use our positions to obtain that cookie. On the flip side our positions might give us privilege- do you want the blue or red pill? Are you going to be a Pill Cosby?  Imagine if all the girls who came through on various interviews had to kneel to get the mic on?

Yes and No means there is a way we could flip the situation to one side which is YAY. I haven’t exhausted everything about what is on ground. I just thought the Clear The Air series needed to have this topic brought to our attention.

I hope to reach out to The Sphynx to put in perspective the sentiment behind her post and which  guided this piece.

DON’T TAKE THIS SERIOUS:

So as I was on my way home after Jinja Bred was out; I was teased again on how am capable of quoting so many females accurately. As a writer you need to know the niche to bare bones right?  The debate that happened centred on; when certain female rappers started and on the state of their progression. I would like you know a supposed crush on Cleo was allegedly slapped on me as a joke, since it was clear I admit my crush on Ginsu, what about the half lady half beast?

May  be, I love all  my Ugandan  girls BB! _

Read other Clear The Air pieces here, and until then Clear The Air!

NOTE The featured images are from Edward Mukibi’s video for Pretty Woman and the themes are not so related to this article. 

About Author

Ayella

Founder NuveyLive.org. I am Ayella NuveySHAWN. I love music, I write a lot about Ugandan Hip hop. I am opinionated. I Content Create, I teach , write, love ,invest, I make music, I manage talent and I am a poet.

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