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An underground mixtape remix to Usher's hit song "Confessions" has come under fire by a pro-life group, due to some controversial lines by rapper Joe Budden.
Black Americans for Life, an outreach of the National Right to Life Committee which represents 3000 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia , took issue with the line: "Pray that she abort that if she's talkin' 'bout keepin' it/One hit to the stomach, she's leakin' it."
They charge that the song has started to get airplay on some radio stations.
The mixtape version is Budden's spin on thoughts that might course through a man's mind when he finds out he is powerless when it comes to the question of abortion.
"Its some mixtape s**t that didn't even travel too far," Budden told AllHipHop.com. "Everybody's heard the original Usher song and I'm just saying what a guy's mindstate is when he's put in that situation. Like it or not, that's a guy's mind state. That's how it can be when you are put in a powerless situation."
The director for Black Americans for Life said the organization is urging African-Americans to call radio stations that might air the song and request that it be pulled from play lists.
"These lyrics are demeaning and outright violent toward both women and unborn children," said Day Gardner, director of Black Americans for Life. "It is appalling to suggest that a man attack a woman to cause the death of her unborn child."
Another organization, Care Net, a network of 750 crisis pregnancy centers, joined in and launched a grass roots campaign today (July 1) calling on Island/Def Jam records and radio stations to pull their support of the song as well.
"Are they concerned that one in three African American pregnancies end in abortion, that over 1,200 black children die every day, and an estimated 70 percent of abortion providers are in minority neighborhoods?" asked Star Parker, a member of Care Net's board of directors. "Abortion in the black community has become a form of genocide."
In light of the political climate, Budden questioned the motives of his detractors.
"Its real funny how these people grab what they want to grab," he charged. "The lyrics don't support beating on women. I don't even say that I am beating on women."
Budden himself went through a stormy two-year relationship with the mother of his child and ironically, Budden was a victim of domestic violence when his ex-girlfriend stabbed him, nearly killing him.
Though he never pressed charges, he temporarily stayed with her and they have a child together, Joe Jr.
""When you get somebody pregnant, you can make suggestions, but the bottom line is they [women] have the end say-so," Budden said. "As a guy, you wonder 'What can I do to take that power away?' As negative as it is, that's what comes to mind. That still doesn't make [violence against women] alright and I don't support that. In Hip-Hop, we talk about reality and what is the truth and that is the truth. I might stir up a lot of confusion, but if you don't like it, turn it off."
Source: allhiphop.com
Black Americans for Life, an outreach of the National Right to Life Committee which represents 3000 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia , took issue with the line: "Pray that she abort that if she's talkin' 'bout keepin' it/One hit to the stomach, she's leakin' it."
They charge that the song has started to get airplay on some radio stations.
The mixtape version is Budden's spin on thoughts that might course through a man's mind when he finds out he is powerless when it comes to the question of abortion.
"Its some mixtape s**t that didn't even travel too far," Budden told AllHipHop.com. "Everybody's heard the original Usher song and I'm just saying what a guy's mindstate is when he's put in that situation. Like it or not, that's a guy's mind state. That's how it can be when you are put in a powerless situation."
The director for Black Americans for Life said the organization is urging African-Americans to call radio stations that might air the song and request that it be pulled from play lists.
"These lyrics are demeaning and outright violent toward both women and unborn children," said Day Gardner, director of Black Americans for Life. "It is appalling to suggest that a man attack a woman to cause the death of her unborn child."
Another organization, Care Net, a network of 750 crisis pregnancy centers, joined in and launched a grass roots campaign today (July 1) calling on Island/Def Jam records and radio stations to pull their support of the song as well.
"Are they concerned that one in three African American pregnancies end in abortion, that over 1,200 black children die every day, and an estimated 70 percent of abortion providers are in minority neighborhoods?" asked Star Parker, a member of Care Net's board of directors. "Abortion in the black community has become a form of genocide."
In light of the political climate, Budden questioned the motives of his detractors.
"Its real funny how these people grab what they want to grab," he charged. "The lyrics don't support beating on women. I don't even say that I am beating on women."
Budden himself went through a stormy two-year relationship with the mother of his child and ironically, Budden was a victim of domestic violence when his ex-girlfriend stabbed him, nearly killing him.
Though he never pressed charges, he temporarily stayed with her and they have a child together, Joe Jr.
""When you get somebody pregnant, you can make suggestions, but the bottom line is they [women] have the end say-so," Budden said. "As a guy, you wonder 'What can I do to take that power away?' As negative as it is, that's what comes to mind. That still doesn't make [violence against women] alright and I don't support that. In Hip-Hop, we talk about reality and what is the truth and that is the truth. I might stir up a lot of confusion, but if you don't like it, turn it off."
Source: allhiphop.com
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