Lanre Dabiri pka eLDee is a Nigerian-American tech-entrepreneur turned hip-hop artist. eLDee tried to break into the music business in the United States, but truly found success when he relocated to Nigeria. A few years ago the artist, who has worn diverse hats in the music business, announced he was retiring from the recording side of the business to focus on the music-tech end. He later followed up with the launch of Playdata, a company that works with the broadcast industry and helps “collecting societies gather accurate broadcast logs and data for all radio stations in any region.” It’s a much needed service and by the looks of things, is placing the economic power on the side of artists.
Having said the above, when eLDee was a recording and performing artist, he contributed, through his music, to the misogynistic image and views of women, including African women, in society. Specifically, his songs sexually objectified women, and at times seemed to promote sexual violence against them. Further, to date, eLDee is yet to acknowledge his part in saturating Nigerian and African society with these misogynistic images/views.
Yet, he felt self-righteous enough to attack slut-shame Amber Rose for her second annual Slut Walk campaign. His rationale? He now has daughters so he is concerned.
According to Wikipedia,
“In human sexuality, slut-shaming is a form of social stigma applied to people, especially women and girls, who are perceived to violate traditional expectations for sexual behaviors. Some examples of circumstances where women are “slut-shamed” include violating dress code policies by dressing in perceived sexually provocative ways, requesting access to birth control, having premarital, casual, or promiscuous sex, engaging in prostitution, or when being victim blamed for being raped or otherwise sexually assaulted.”
Needless to say, many have called out his hypocrisy and are holding his feet to the fire.
My thoughts?
- Is eLDee’s message valid in terms of the kinds of role models we want for children? In my view, yes.
- Is eLDee the right messenger to scold Amber? No, he is absolutely not. Many times, the messenger is just as important as the message.I think until he acknowledges the part he has played in spreading a misogynistic view of women, especially Black and African women, and apologizes for it, he has no business acting so self-righteous. Further, I think calling Amber a “hoe” is out of line. Just because Amber dresses the way she does, doesn’t make her a hoe. To categorize her as such is that male chauvinism oozing out of eLDee.
- eLDee needs to put in the work in his home and raise his daughters to look to his home, first, for role models. Further, he needs to set the example so his girls will have no need to look to the Ambers of the world as role models. It really does begin in the home.
- Finally, eLDee and Amber Rose are birds of the same feather. They just have a different approach to monetizing misogyny. eLDee monetized misogyny through his music. Amber Rose monetizes through her personal brand including the so called ‘SlutWalk.’ While Amber Rose does talk about owning your sexual power as a woman, she actively creates and spreads a very misogynistic image of women. Both are hypocritical with their attempts to scold each other and society at large, contradictory and very confusing with their messages.
-Ms. Uduak
Warning: expletives used. Amber Rose and her Slutwalk Campaign
Firstly, your blogging needs more work. Get information right about eldee’s beginning. Secondly, I believe you jumped into conclusions as most people on his message. His anger was more on media outlets and their attempt to sell ideas that are not good for our children. Try to count how many songs and videos he’s put out that promotes indecency…especially his latter songs.
I don’t know who you are. Frankly speaking i really don’t care. But know this………..you are a GENIUS!
@JayBrown/Truth, regarding eLDee’s beginning, you mean his work in the late 90s with Trybesmen? It would be great to get into the history of Nigerian hip-hop and the role of eLDee’s group and work in contemporary Nigerian music business but that is not germane to my point, and is beyond the scope of my post.
To the heart of the matter, he may have been angry at the media but he called Amber a “hoe” in the process. He doesn’t get to do that, not if he too is a part of sexually objectifying women, and seemingly promoting sexual violence against them with his music, regardless of the amount of times he did so.
Finally, as I indicated, he does have some valid points but he shouldn’t be surprised half of the internet is calling him a hypocrite, precisely because he comes with unclean hands with his criticism of Amber.
-Ms.Uduak