Station Manager Aaron Levy is watching rather closely as we continue to experience the broad and overdue phenomenon of calling out powerful men who have abused their positions of power when it comes to women and romantic relationships with them. Here are some songs that may, in a tertiary way, speak to these developments one way or another.
Kate Tempest — “Grubby”
This song is more of a poem put to music, as is the entire Kate Tempest discography — carefully crafted, expertly delivered, and sensationally arranged to bring spoken word and beat-style slam poetry to a musical forum that features the soon-to-be classic Tempest delivery telling identifiable stories of struggle.
Dead Prez — “Mind Sex”
“Before we make love, let’s have a good conversation,” exclaims this slowburner from the already classic hip-hop act responsible for songs like the Dave Chappelle theme “Hip Hop,” as well as my own personal favourite, the education system send up “They Schoolz,” with its much less thoughtful and sensitive lyrics.
Radiohead — “Burn the Witch”
Is this song about the kinds of witch hunts some major media publications have been accusing the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements of carrying out against men in American institutions, or is it oriented more towards the kind of McCarthyism we saw in the ‘60s that may be emerging as a result of Trumpism stateside today?
Jump Smokers — “My Flow So Tight”
Entirely catchy, danceable, and completely true, this song emerged in 2009 soon after Rihanna was found to have been physically abused by Chris Brown prior to a red carpet awards gala — it was followed up by a brief removal of Brown from the mainstream news cycle, but now he’s back.
