Score one for the underdogs. Sarah Jones, a indie spoken word/rap artist, has recorded works in the past that show the hypocrisy of society in gender issues. “Your Revolution” was one of these works — one that fell afoul of the FCC.
“Your Revolution” uses the words of popular male rappers and takes the most offensive parts of their raps — passages glorifying murder, violence, rape and the sexual objectification of women — and fires it back at them. It is a piece of politico-sexual protest that opens with the words “Your revolution will not happen between these thighs.”
The FCC saw differently. When KBOO-FM, a Portland radio station, played “Your Revolution” in October 1999, the FCC immediately slapped the station with a $7,000 fine and declared the record “indecent.”
Recently, Jones won the battle — after nearly three years of petitions and vocal protest against her song’s censorship, the FCC dropped both fine and “indecency” ruling, and Jones’ “Revolution” rages again.
The irony is that the men from whom she took inspiration say many of the same words in their own raps, and yet the FCC can’t seem to find them indecent. Apparently, it’s fine by the FCC for someone to rap in earnest about rape, murder and the joys of mindless violence, but heaven forbid anyone make a piece that protests it! Does her free speech somehow become less worthy because she dared to reveal that she does, indeed, have a vagina and that she’s angry that male rappers seem to think it’s all right to use it as their playground?
The revolution may not be televised, but thanks to the First Amendment and people who gave a damn, “Your Revolution” will be on the radio.