If you're a parent of young kids, like me, chances are your kids have come home singing the catchy "Crank That" song by 17-year-old Atlanta rapper Soulja Boy, who is scheduled to be in town this weekend. Soulja Boy self-published "Crank That," which later ended up at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 100 charts.
Soulja Boy's got a dance that goes with the song that entire teams and cheerleaders are doing on college and high school sidelines.
I guess I'm getting older because I couldn't figure out what Soulja Boy was saying in the song. I kept thinking it was "Soulja Boy ol'-N-E-oh" or something. At least that's what I heard my kids saying.
So when I checked out the lyrics I was surprised that "Crank That" was really a song about Soulja being sexually frustrated with a date. Keeping it as clean as possible, he talks about doing something called "Superman," which is basically performing a retaliatory solo sexual act on the date while she is sleeping.
And the nonsensical lyrics I thought I heard are repeated bluntly over and over again throughout the song. The version of this song too dirty to play on radio is even worse.
I get that rappers rap about what's going on in their lives and 'hoods. That's fine. I get that sex is part of life, but the way Soulja is being promoted as a wholesome figure with a fun dance -- particularly how young kids are picking it up -- bothers me.
I'm going to put the brakes on my kids singing and listening to Soulja Boy. Just thought you all might want to know what your kids are really singing about.
Friday, January 18, 2008
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23 comments:
Where have you been? This has been discussed ad nauseum for months now.
Thank you! I didn't think to look up the lyrics and had not heard all the "discussions ad nauseum" so I appreciate the info. All of a sudden it's not so cute anymore.
Thanks again!
When will people take a stand against rap music!
I heard one of the morning radio woman DJ on 96.1 say how she didn't like that song or the rapper for that song. I was thinking, "I don't think it's dirty song". That's because I didn't pay attention to the lyrics till now. Yes, it's a disgusting song and if any young girls out there likes this song, they have no respect for themselves... It's a pure disgusting song and I cannot believe it went to #1... And I cannot believe I let my son listen to this...
Just think the churches were promoting this garbage in droves before christmas.
thank you for the information!
Just because something has a catchy beat or sounds good doesn't mean you shouldn't sometimes check, especially if your like Langston and you don't understand a lyric. Also, I have no problem with someone bringing up an issue others have discussed if they think others still are not understanding. My kids too often will put on a song just because its popular or has a great hook without knowing anything about the lyrics or the performer themselves. Many artists love to push boundries and its our responsibility to decide if they crossed that line and if its acceptable for not only our kids but others as well and if not, speak out and educate others like Langston did. Thank you and keep up the great work.
SI did an article on this about a month ago. Many major league sports teams still use it at events. The response was that they are using the same version as played on the radio. Pathetic.
imagine that, a not-so-wholesome rap song
Anytime you hear your kids or a song using slang or words you don't understand, use the internet. There are dozens of sites that will provide the lyrics to the songs and as for slang, urbandictionary.com has definitions for it all. Superman is about the most vile, disrespectul act I have ever hear of and when I heard it being played at Northwest School of the Arts I ran straight to the principle, told him what it meant, and I was told it would not be played at the school anymore. As a parent, you have to monitor this stuff and take action. Once I explained to my daughter that this song was disrespectful to women and utterly disgusting, she no longer wanted to hear it - she turns the station if it comes on. Bring your children up right and they will make you proud.
This is a disgusting song. I don't even think the radio's should be playing it. This is about sexual acts in an explicit way. It is also horrible to think that a 17 yr old is the one singing it and his parents have no trouble with it. Guess they showed him how to do what he describes in the song. I think even the radio stations need to take responsibility of such music that in my book is similar to soft porn. This is not okay!!!!!
i agree with you lw, i think he is a bad example for kids anyway and his parents should be ashamed for letting him come out like this, but i guess they are'nt good parents because they're 17yrs old son is saying " supernman that H*" come on, if he say it kids will say it. i remember when he was asked about his grades on bet a couple months ago and he had a dumb look on his face so i guess they were bad. but some people on this comment board is downing rap dont blame rap, i dont agree with some rap music nowadays and some of there messages aren't so good. but all rap music aint bad rap music and if you dont know that, that means you dont listen to it and that means you dont have the right too judge as bad. there is alot of good respectful mc's out there like, Will Smith yeah Will Smith, Andre 3000, KRS One, Common, Kanye West, Talib Kwelli,and Nas. these people have message behind there raps. so dont dis rap until you know rap music. and lets hope the radio's and parents step up for our youths and dont let garbage like "crank that superman" get so much attention and let it be ignored and thats how you beat garbage in the music industry period.
Speaking frankly, this so-called "song" insults any thinking human being. It totally sucks.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! It amazes me of the Parents that will defend this song also! When I first heard it, I kept asking everyone that was doing the dance "What is he saying" And all they can think about it "Superman" forgetting the "HO" part and the dance. So I downloaded from the internet myself and I was thrown backwards! It's a shame and to add sauce to that. . . U see grownups just as caught up and ignorant. People you'd better listen to what your kids are singing and dancing to. My Mom did and boy am I glad to always have an ear!
PATHETIC! I understand subtle innuendos regarding music...but it appears that we have gone so far left...there is no turning back!
Borrowing the final scene in School Daze (Spike Lee Joint); this is my message to everyone but specifically people of color:
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!
PS... And laughing at ignorant people, college educated, poor, non-english speaking etc., ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK! It's not RAP MUSIC THAT's Bad, It's the RAPPERS That Make BAD RAP MUSIC!
7:16 PM
Thank you for spreading the news. I was also ignorant to the specific lyrics until I read your article. This song was played at a good behavior celebration at my son's school on Friday. Because I read your article, I was able to educate the school staff on the content and how to research lyrics + the slang term website.
Many of the people who appose rap music of today are from a generation that had very similar music; lay lady lay, purple haze, afternoon delight. These songs and more are filled with sex and drugs and. I am tired of people griping and complaining about how dirty and worthless the music of today is when the music they grew up listening to was no better. Also, a special shout out to the person who said "when will people take a stand against rap music!" I think you should rethink that question. Rap has so much history behind it, to try and "take a stand" against any group of music is equivilent to "taking a stand" against an entire culture. So, if you don't like it, don't listen to it, but do not be so quick to judge what you don't understand
To "Superman a ho" means to make liquid explosion on her back while she sleep then you put bedsheet over so when she wake up she look like she have cape on
I think you guys are taking this a little too seriously. Its a song for goodness sake. I dont think your kid is going to go out and do such an act just because he heard it on the radio. Maybe the problem isnt the media, but the parents...
dumb holes i love soulja boy
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