Abby writes: The violence of misogyny
Men, cis-het men, are violent. It is a known fact. It has played out around me time and time again from girlhood till present. Forcing me to question my right to hold and own space.
Allies tend to get upset when feminists rightfully call them out for not doing enough. It is not out of slight, rather, it is merely an acknowledgement of the state of growing insecurities experienced by women as a result of the existence of men.
One therefore surmises that allies are not really about it because why continuously engage with and support feminist work, yet, maintain intimate relationships with knowingly problematic persons? Surely, you do not get to act brand new and in your feelings for being referred to as an enabler.
And not to say shirk friendships and networks that matter to you, however, rather than publicly aligning your opinions with what sounds right, be crafty in your engagement with the bros in helping them unlearn their toxic traits.
Your support may be nice, appreciated even, but of what benefit is it, has it been to women, children, when most of the time their aggressors are men you know intimately, yet resist holding them accountable?
If this is all just a mighty great misconception from the outside looking in, why is there minimal conversation on what actually happens in your interventions as allies?
The work is not to amp what we already know. The work does not involve us exerting gratitude for your decency while a large swath of you remain threats to us for just existing.
Like there is no reason to gleefully be insensitive to women, be they strangers or otherwise.
Make noise within the squad and get out of your feelings with your sulking about being called out and shunned by feminists. ‘Yes man’ no dey hia, do the work of educating and helping your people unlearn their violence because honestly truly, I believe I speak for all women when I say, we’re tired of y’all’s shit fr fr 🙄
Theorise on why you can’t seem to get through to them. Figure out efforts at changing their mindsets. Hold a mirror up to them and do it for the good of society at large, not to win brownie points from feminists.
[P.S. this rant of an article was inspired by responses to Oloni’s “when did you realize he hated you” thread.]
Cyril writes: NSG on Colonization
Funny how the simplest ideas often end up proving insanely difficult to execute, chale. I suspect a fair reason why this felt like so much work (sorry this took a hot minute Abby 🙃) was because I was looking to present ironclad arguments. After what I swear is my 50th listen (proper rinsed this track I tell you), OGD seemed to be talking to me directly when he crooned, 🎵Area boyz, we can’t fear no one🎵. Took his advice and I present my jumbled thoughts on how NSG’s song, Colonization goes above and beyond being a banger and imparts knowledge as you launch yourself into that shaku which will register as a 2.7 on the Richter scale when you plant that foot.
Acknowledging The Older Generation
Before Kruddz even says a word the use of violins really sets the mood this is going to be a lesson like no other and welcomes him to deliver his sermon to which he launches into effortlessly. Focusing on his verse:
//Couldn’t be in vain that our mums migrate//
He encapsulates centuries of the African migration history. A pillaged continent, now left stumbling to rebuild and take control of her future, sees indigenes continuously depart from across the shores for shots at securing and providing economic stability for the next generation.
When was the last time you had someone wrong you, give a non-committal apology and you found yourself needing their assistance and having the will power to go through with it? Sprinkle in a society that very much doesn’t want you and the needless challenges to be faced just by the nature of your skin and that alone doesn’t fill out the tapestry of abuse that African migrants face as they forge new lives in these hostile environments. Kruddz uses ‘Mums’ here as symbolic of an entire generation who have gone through, and continue to go through abuse all while focused on the goal that this will give the next generation a much better shot at life than they ever had.
//Anyway, I fit to make that meal//
Kruddz reaffirms the handing down of the generational responsibility. A burden yes, but one that first, and second generation immigrants carry as they look past ‘just survival’ in attempts of building their lives after the ever elusive concept of generational wealth.
Facing Present Realities
//I don’t want to do you like that
//So please don’t make man do you like that//
That is Kruddz almost begging in his verse before OGD vividly paints in the chorus the dog-eat-dog world that is the reality for migrant families singing:
//Take everything he’s got, colonization//
The feeling of having no choice when a singular goal unites not just your family, but communities spanning multiple communities, is an insane amount of pressure that most are not even aware of. Papii Abz zeros in on how this ever-present emotion is refocused and used as motivation:
//All of this pain wey I suppress
Really drove a man to success//
This is a bit more than haterade chale. The migrant experience is often remiss of support systems to help guide find effective ways to parse these emotions and channel them into healthy, productive endeavours. To say violence in black migrant communities is a contentious subject is an understatement. If you fall into the camp of “it is inherently in their nature,” there really isn’t much to say other than you are wrong in ascribing the effects of systematic inequalities as intrinsic to a group of people, which is absurd . But racists often are ridiculous, so it’s on me for attempting to engage in any discourse 🤦🏾♀️. Moving along, Mojo clearly spells how violence in these communities stays a permanent fixture despite the desire to eradicate it:
//Thought he was an alpha male till we stamped him
This the life I came from, I ain’t promoting
Mum’s still telling me to get baptized//Shout out to the black women who stay serving as the moral compass to communities grappling with the fall out of our worldwide systemic racist institutions.
How do we conclude this?
//Being black comes like an occupation//
Having every action of yours scrutinized and needing to always play a ‘role’ to be seen as non-threatening is beyond exhausting. When being yourself is seen as reason for fear, Mxjib kills it with this verse as he brings attention to OGD’s chorus, a fair chunk of it spelling out the distrust he has for the police. With migrant communities’ very existence seen as a threat by the security forces, is it any surprise the distrust runs deep?
//Fourteen, first time the pigs raided
Ever since then, I stopped eating bacon//
Anyway, allow me to contribute to the calls to defund the police everywhere. Nations all over will be better served buttressing their social services to assist communities and marginalized groups needing assistance as opposed to being physically assaulted (scarily, this is the best case scenario for most Black migrants).
Still hoping for a future where ‘strong’ isn’t a necessary adjective when describing our migrant communities as they endure abuse, discrimination, and never being given the benefit of doubt; however, just like OGD reminds us, that fear is one we refuse to internalize. NSG to the world!