Scott Urges Better Portrayal for Women
By KRISTIE RIEKEN, Associated Press Writer
57 minutes ago


Singer Jill Scott inroduces a panel to discuss the ...
HOUSTON - The portrayal of black women in popular music and videos is too often degrading and the black community must find a way to change these images, best-selling singer Jill Scott said Monday.

"It is dirty, inappropriate, inadequate, unhealthy and polluted," Scott said. "We can demand more."

Scott spoke before a panel that discussed the issue took the stage at the Essence Music Festival's empowerment seminars as part of the magazine's Take Back the Music campaign.

Actor Shemar Moore, rapper Common and former video dancer, Karrine Steffans, who wrote the book "Confessions of a Video Vixen," concerning her exploits, were part of the discussion.

The panel addressed the dangers these images present to young girls and said education and self-esteem will help keep them from believing this is a proper representation of black women.

"Ladies you are queens and you need to believe it," Moore said. "What do you want and what are you willing to do to get it?"

Steffans believes a lack of self-esteem allowed her to degrade herself in videos for virtually all the big names in hip hop.

"I was always told I was ugly," she said. "I didn't realize my own power and my own worth."

Scott told the audience that if they are offended by these images, they should stop buying the albums and encourage the people in their lives to do the same.

"This is about choosing what we will allow in our lives," she said. "We can force things. We can change things. Challenge the music industry with your purchasing power."

Scott used an eloquent speech, interlaced with song, to illustrate that black women are more than their sexuality and that music should represent that.

"There are many stories to be told that aren't about our sexuality," Scott said.

YES YES YES!!!

its amazing how only ugly singers say crap like that

peppeken said:

Post a picture of yourself so we all see how "wonderful" you look

peppeken said:

Surely, you jest. Jill Scott is gorgeous, inside and out.

Furthermore, what about the "crap" that she said threatens you so much that you react with a post that way?

It's almost as if the prospect of more women realizing their worth sounds like a bad thing to you.


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[Edited 7/4/06 9:02am]

ThreadBare said:

Jill Scott is a beautiful woman and she is speaking the truth.I guess Peppeken feels somewhat threatened by a strong,Black woman with intelligence.

DavidEye said:

Here ya go, DE! Meet Peppe!

DavidEye said:

Well, I don't know about the black part. But some men act like they feel like that kind of spiritual awakening in women could cut into the Hooters waitress pool.

Not saying that's Peppeken's perspective, but...

"That's what I've been saying all along...."

DavidEye said:

I'll ask again

Whatever happened to the org's sense of humour?

You, too, DavidEye, my friend?

StoneCrib said:

DavidEye said:

BlaqueKnight said:

No, I think the video ho came before this Black Hollywood trend. The films are now imitating the videos, which isn't surprising since video directors are doing feature films now and they draw upon what they did in the music video world.

StoneCrib said:

The hell it did. Marilyn Manroe was a video hoe before there were music videos. Don't EVEN try to shift all the blame on brothas. Exploiting women's looks in movies gave birth to the video hoe trend and if you go back to the rock videos of the 80s, they were doing it back then before brothas were even on Mtv. Don't front. Go back and watch the "Cherry Pie" video. Video hoes galore. When its a WHITE GIRL, they're exempt from being video hoes, huh? Is that it?

BlaqueKnight said:

You're speaking on the exploitation of ALL women, well in that case, we can take it back to the Bible...feel me? But that wasn't where I was speaking from, I was speaking from the Black perspective and the video ho from the black perspective is far more dangerous than Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately our creativity sometimes bites us in the ass when we take something and run with it...the video ho is one of those times and we're paying for it as we speak.

StoneCrib said:

The lack of parenting is more dangerous in my opinion. There was a time when "good girls" wouldn't WANT to be a video hoe. Instilling strong values and self-esteem in a child instead of encouraging the "get money" attitude is a resolution for that. Too bad so many parents are raising video hoes. Its no different than their white counterprts. Only the mainstream media makes it "different" because they make us "diferent". Double standards, man. The latest trend in rock videos is to have a porn star in the vid. I guess that's a good look?
[Edited 7/4/06 10:49am]

Well this thread is going in a very interesting direction....

BlaqueKnight said:

Oh yeah, I agree. It ALL starts at home.

Where are the rappers at? Where is Nelly ("Mr.Tip Drill"),50 Cent and all those other clowns who routinely degrade women in their videos? Why aren't they at this panel to defend their bullshit? It would be interesting to hear their viewpoint,lol.

BlaqueKnight said:

Shiiiiit!

You can storm profanity during a church sermon on nothing but old ass people and people would STILL consider it preachy

Folks are just thick-headed nowadays, thats all.

peppeken said:

Ugly?...




...In the words of the great philosopher Homey D. Clown, "I don't think so."


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

only people that don't sell any records get on these sorts of high horses. remember Joni Mitchell and her retirement tantrum over Britney Spears? Tom Petty and his rally against radio? this seems like the same thing. these people want to tell everyone else what they should do and be, so that in that made up fantasy world, they'll be much more successful.

BlaqueKnight said:

yaknow i totally understand wat u and jill and everyone else are saying, but did it ever occur to u that maybe some of these chicks do come from good homes and this is just wat they choose to do? no doubt some of em got self esteem and attention issues, but i cant believe thats the deal with them all. maybe this is just something they enjoy doing

Dayspring said:

are you saying that Jill Scott is a washed-up,irrelevent,has-been artist who no longer sells records?

DavidEye said:

not at all. in her case, she's never sold any records.

Dayspring said:

Dayspring said:

She has a BIG fan-base tho and I think she's content with that alone

Dayspring said:

Or - Here's a wild concept...Gee, could it be that SOME artists actaully STAND for something other than making money?