Team Sassypants

SHOULD WE BE OKAY WITH SLUTWAVE?

(via complex)

As women I mean.

I don’t ponder the principals of feminism often but I came to the realization today that some of this year’s largest musical successes and sensations came from genres that don’t exactly shine well on women - “rape gaze” and “slutwave.”

I won’t get into the former, it’s far beyond my abilities to treat with the philosophy it deserves. But the feministic implications of “slutwave” and its place among culture are an interesting study.

The height of my curiosity came to a head this morning following a series of recent incidents:

• frequent casual call-and-response to Rihanna’s phrasing on “Oh Na Na - What’s My Name?”
• my dearest friend’s bon voyage party having a Ke$ha theme (costumes best found at Dollar Tree, Claire’s, and Rugged Warehouse)
• Darren Criss infamously reviving this season of Glee in 2 minutes and 48 seconds like shock paddles to a trauma patient
• the repeat performance of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” at our office holiday party (followed by the later omission at karaoke, which incited a near-riot)
• including it song as one of the only real Top 40 types on my year-end mixes

And the people I know involved in these incidents, I would call practical, smart, and fairly alternative people. Our collective love for slutwave is nonironic, unabashed, and somewhat uncontrollable. Yes, it is 2010’s gift to the prolonging pop music zeitgeist. In its midst, however, is it possible that major music has finally cornered us as seasoned nonbelievers with all of their might? Are we too, we ALL, just suckers for pretty girls singing infectious and, frankly, super sexual songs? And people shooting things out of their boobs? Constantly?

What the masses don’t actually know, is that this year their radio and likewise, their domes, have been infiltrated by one man - Dr. Luke - pop music savant and modern legend if we’re being real. Does it also blow YOUR MIND that Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA,” Ke$ha’s entire debut album, and EVERY KATY PERRY SONG YOU’VE EVER HAD STUCK IN YOUR HEAD amongmany others came from ONE DUDE? The man has hooks for miles, and a genius hyper-awareness for when a song will bring a party to life.

Moving towards the more promiscuous side of the spectrum, Complex Magazine did an awesome job recounting slutwave’s greatest hits and cornerstones with this countdown. The genre has exploded as it stems from hip hop and major pop crossovers, which is a testament to the universality of these songs essentially becoming sensational party anthems and chart-topping hits.

Lyrically, these female artists are are opening themselves up sexually, but simultaneously standing up for themselves. Slutwave really works when its slightly restrained. I see this a lot with Rihanna - she likes to challenge the dude, she is always in control (choruses of Rude Boy, What’s My Name, and Only Girl in the World). Some are discussing experimentation and defending their exploration (Lady Gaga’s Love Game, Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl). Some are just ridiculous teases without immediately giving anything up (Pussycat Dolls’ Buttons, Kelis’ Milkshake, Madonna’s Like A Virgin).

It doesn’t work when you’re just desperate and flat out overdoing it (Dirrty. Say no more. A sad blemish on the career of someone who actually has pipes.)

We don’t really cop to the genre’s implications and ignore the greater content because we gravitate towards engaging with slutwave’s greater power. Let’s face it - at the end of the day, nearly every single of these songs is a BANGER.

For girls in particular, most can acknowledge that there is something about the magic-like process of bonding with other girls through learning the lyrics and screaming them at each other on the dance floor. I can remember older girls on the back of the bus in middle school reciting the words to the Lady Marmalade and Ladies Night remixes that came out around ‘98 or so (before Lil’ Kim had super serious anger management problems). These shared experiences become harder to remember once you age a bit and have the same kind of revelations under the influence of alcohol, but they are proven to lead to warm fuzzy feelings between you and whoever you went out with last Thursday for a long, long time.

As a greater culture, we associate shared fun experiences with these songs. It’s greater effect boils down to the universality of shedding your skin, escaping your shells, and acknowledging fun… with the glimmer of hope, or maybe knowing in that moment, we’ll be young for-ev-er.

PS. If you happen to notice any other patterns, yes, those are ALL Snoop Dogg guest verses.

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