Abortion and Rap Music
A Literary Study of the Lyrics of Representative Rap Songs


Endnotes:

1. One online commentator, Mike Mosher, asserts that rap is youth's reaction against such political correctivity. Mosher quotes "Conservative writer John Leo [who] gloated that Eminem's popularity was evidence of youth's backlash against tightly monitored school behavior codes, zero-tolerance Hate Speech laws and other manifestations of repressive political correctness'" ("Motor City"). Mosher does not refute Leo's assertion. [Back]

2. Sometimes, of course, a song obviously titled "Abortion" may concern abortion only tangentially. This is the case with Kid Rock's 2000 song "Abortion". The song contains only the vaguest of references to abortion as a practice; rather, the song uses abortion as a metaphor for the angst of a man tortured by love. [Back]

3. Similarly, even though he argues that "'Bodies' remains the most important song to deal with abortion, a major political issue of the 1970s when it was written," as recently as 2001 social critic Mike Mosher expresses his frustration in trying to find not necessarily rap abortion songs, but abortion songs in general:

There appears to be little progressive, feminist art on this topic in wide currency, perhaps because abortion is necessary rather than celebratory. Many women have spoken of variegated, deep feelings after abortion, its procedures altering a significant biological course, and to articulate these, perhaps cathartic art forms are best. If two decades after "Bodies," Liz Phair, Hole, or L7 had abortion songs as powerful as "Bodies", I simply don't know about them. ("Bodies")
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4. Unfortunately, no reputable source could be located to provide quotes for this song's lyrics. [Back]

5. For this and subsequent songs, the lyrics were transcribed by another person and uploaded on one of numerous internet lyrics services, so deviations in grammar and punctuation may not have been those suggested by the artist. Moreover, unless otherwise indicated, lyrics for the songs have been obtained from the source indicated at the first quotation. [Back]

6. According to a recent online publication from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a "beadie" is

Marijuana...used both alone and in combination with a number of other drugs--most commonly alcohol, and in some areas, crack or PCP. In New York, a variety of Indian marijuana laced with PCP ("beadies") has gained popularity. Both crack and PCP may be sprinkled on marijuana; a marijuana cigarette or cigar may also be dipped in a liquid solution of PCP, dried and then smoked. (United States)
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7. The reader may also be interested in a summary of research findings from a study conducted by the organization. Titled, "Abortion Attitudes in the African American Community: Key Findings of a Study Conducted by Dayton Right to Life in Dayton, Ohio", two findings mention the influence of Planned Parenthood specifically: "Planned Parenthood is well known and generally regarded very favorably. Interestingly, the only negative mentioned about Planned Parenthood was that they [sic] tended to push women into abortions" (unpaginated). [Back]


Works Cited

1, 2,