"More than any other generation before us, we need a feminism committed to "keeping it real" We need a voice like our music -on that samples and layers many voices, injects its sensibilities into the old and flips it into the old and flips it into something new, provocative, and powerful. And one whose occasional hypocrisy, contradictions, and trifeness guarantee us at least a few trips to the terror-dome, forcing us to finally confront what we'd all rather hide from.
We need a feminism that possess the same fundamental understanding held by any true student of hip hop. Truth can't be found in the voice of any one rapper but in the juxtaposition of many. The keys that unlock the riches of contemporary black female identity lie not in choosing Latifah over Lil' Kim, or even Foxy Brown over Salt-N-Pepa. They lie at the magical intersection where those contrary voices meet -the juncture where "truth" is no longer black and white but subtle, intriguing shades of gray." -Joan Morgan
Thank Leigh-ness that she handed me this book, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost. It's an oldie, but goodie, and came at a moment when I was ready for it. It has flipped the script in so many ways and talks about a feminism of love, brotherhood and sisterhood. It's not angry, but acknowledges much of the pain that both men and women go through and how all of it contributes to our interactions with one another. Pick it up!!
