Ashley Judd Responds to Book Backlash After Calling Hip-Hop a 'Rape Culture'

By Tracey Harrington McCoy Posted Apr 8th 2011 08:45PM

Ashley Judd's recently released memoir, All That Is Bitter and Sweet, has stirred up quite a bit of attention.

And while most of the interest surrounding the book focused on Judd's shocking revelations about her past (sexual abuse while growing up), she's also experiencing backlash around comments made in the book about the misogyny surrounding hip-hop artists including Diddy and Snoop Dogg.

On Friday, Judd spoke with pal Russell Simmons in an interview for Global Grind about the backlash. Russell asked the movie star and human rights activist what her intentions were when discussing hip-hop.

"My intention was to support artists to know that they have so much power. That they make incredible life changing impressions, particularly on the young. And we have choices everyday with our expressions, either empower and celebrate people or to re-enforce inequality and degradation," Judd said.

She continued: "There are elements, and that is the part that has been so distorted... what I'm being accused of is condemning rap and hip-hop as a whole, and the whole community and when they say community, they mean the fans, and African-Americans, it's become so generalized."

"My intention was to take a stand to say the elements of that musical expression that are misogynistic and treat girls and women in a hyper-sexualized way that are inappropriate. That is not acceptable in any artistic expression, in any cultural form, whether its country music or in television story lines. And if they read more than one paragraph in the book, they would see that all four hundred pages are about that," she concluded.

Tags: Ashley Judd, Russell Simmons

Comments

(138)

Friday 08 April

By BelleoftheBall

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Love You Ashley! Stay Strong!.
Your rose above your mother and sister, If i were you i would change my last name. They are disgusting. No wonder you were in that dark place. Peace be with you!

By miamiprep

Amen. 100% on point. This poor woman had a very sad childhood. Glad she's found some balance in her adult life.

By cprspd

agreed. love u ashley!

By gmfuhlman

This is what I have said in the past that people only hear, and read what they want to hear. Everyone is so touchy these days. First of all people only took part of what Ashley said, and put their own spin on it. Because it is what she believe and feel in her heart, and we shouldn’t be bashing her for what she believes.

Thursday 14 April

By diane

Maybe if they told the TRUTH about the immoral parts of their culture instead of glorifying it it would change. Good for you Ashley. Why is your mom so sensiltive about the truth now when she didn't care at all about you growing up and just her NEEDS. I'm glad you wrote the book.

Monday 11 April

By Shy girl

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There are plenty of positive elements in hip hop. There are also negative aspects. Maybe she should address the music culture from which she belongs seein as how her and her whole family were raped...That is misogyny at its best! I feel sorry for the negative aspects of her life but ppl always seem to point the finger and forget the ones pointing back at them. Hip hop has not affected her life her family members( the ppl who raped her family) and her culture has hurt her! People always bash hip hop and dont seem to recognize there are "bad" aspects in all cultures and music! And hip hop fans are tired of carryin ALL the blame...And most ppl who bash hip hop dont even understand it (or try to)...

By Walter

Let's face it, MC Hammer didn't inspire most rap artists out there today. Gangsta rap did. And gangsta rap is indisputably based around prison culture. Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, etc.. glorify prison culture, and they are by far in a way the most popular rappers out there. The fact that the hip-hop world has such a visceral reaction to be called out is telling. I thought they were proud of being "hard"? What happened?

By Hmmm

I agree with her. Diddy, Kanye, Snoop Dog etc. do degrade women and are not a positive for a civilized society as a whole.

Saturday 09 April

By dee

I agree,RAP ISN'T MUSIC infact let's make up a name for this discusting crap.

By Welcome. Errie

First off, Hip-Hop isnt Snoop Dogg, Diddy and Kanye West there are PLENTY of hip-hop artist whose music doesnt talk about the hoes and the money: The Roots, Reakwon, Mos Def, Nas, to name a few.And second, the number one supporter of Hip-Hop are WOMEN. So, until give Hip-Hop a chance and know how it started, where it is going and what potential it has.

By Slash

hey cb how bout i propose some wup azz on you turd !

Sunday 10 April

By traveller

Rap is CRAP

By ashleymw81

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what do you consider civilized

By NameNotImportant

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I'm sure you watch Jersey Shore faithfully every week though..

Ashleymw81 - I consider a civilized society to be one where women are not degraded but are considered equals.

NameNotImportant - I've NEVER watched Jersey Shore!

By LoneWolf1964

She has made a very good point. The Rap & Hip Hop culture is seen as one of violence. Listen to some of those awful lyrics and so many of them mention alcohol/drug use, violence and degrading women.

By SniffMeBalls

Good for Ashley to speak the truth. Any type of music that degrades women, and promotes violence isn't music to me. Music has been garbage the last 20 years. Music as we knew it at one time, probably ended in the early 90's. I do not care for music today, and I have a collection of songs from the late 80's and before, that I listen to. I have seen, especially on You Tube, young people who were born in the 90's saying they wish they were born in the 60's or 70's, to enjoy the music from that time period. That says a lot.

By cb

yeah like acid rock doesn't promote violence, you people are full of it! and bigoted to boot!

By DJ

Ashley,,,I am so proud of you for bringing these subjects out in the open about your abuse and neglect and also the way this music today is effecting our most precious gifts, our children.

Tuesday 26 April

By Marinemom

WHY??? Because you LIKE knowing about the private matters of a family. That's just SICK and STUPID. Get a life.

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