This is a phenomenal piece for a multitude of reasons. One on hand, it's obviously satire about the ridiculous of Future, his music, and mediocre Hip Hop that shifted due to mumble rap.
At the same time, it addresses how Black women are often expected to see unwanted sexual advances as complimentary, a sign of true Black womanhood. Because only real Black women would understand that being a REAL woman requires them to want to submit to anything and everything men desire.
But then there's another topic altogether that isn't usually addressed, but must be addressed with nuance: abuse against Black men and how toxic masculinity prevents men from confronting sexual trauma. Though Black women are more likely to be subjected to sexual violence (often before the the age of 18), Black boys and men also struggle through sexual violence. There are stories about Black boys being molested by adult men and women in their families, by others associated with their family. There are stories about Black boys being sexually abused by female babysitters. But in most cases, these boys grow up as men and retell these stories as rights of passage.
It's because patriarchy has taught Black men that any grown woman who sexualizes them is a prerequisite to true Black manhood. If violated by a man, then it's indication that they were weak and possibly enjoyed it somehow because they didn't "try too hard to fight back." The discourse around sexuality and its erroneous association with childhood molestation will forever bother me, but I digress.
Unfortunately, most Black male survivors of CSA feel pressured to perform toxic masculinity to cover up the fact that there was no one in their lives to help them navigate the crime that took place. Or protect them from the person or people that violated them. And in most cases, these same men end up passing on that same trauma onto their male children. Or end being extremely violent towards Black women and girls (trans and cis) because only way they express their pain is through violence.
An extraordinarily perceptive essay, and I’m grateful to have been introduced to the oeuvre of Playboi Carti—clearly a poet whose verse will outlast these troubled times.
You mention that much of Carti’s work escapes the confines of intelligible language. I wonder if, seen through a Lacanian lens, he is striving to break the linguistic strictures of the Symbolic Order, thus bringing about a direct confrontation with The Real. That being the case, the experience of what Kristeva calls Abjection (the painful handjob) would constitute an unnecessary path to the same destination that he is approaching through the subversion of language.
This is what Black Greatness 👏👏👏looks like. Black Girl MAGIC 👏👏👏at its finest. One day, i too, will become a Black Woman 👏👏👏. And all my dreams will come true.
People (me) are calling this the greatest post ever
I as well think ts is goated.
I think my conclusion is people named max, or some longer form of it, have great taste
Agreed
This is a phenomenal piece for a multitude of reasons. One on hand, it's obviously satire about the ridiculous of Future, his music, and mediocre Hip Hop that shifted due to mumble rap.
At the same time, it addresses how Black women are often expected to see unwanted sexual advances as complimentary, a sign of true Black womanhood. Because only real Black women would understand that being a REAL woman requires them to want to submit to anything and everything men desire.
But then there's another topic altogether that isn't usually addressed, but must be addressed with nuance: abuse against Black men and how toxic masculinity prevents men from confronting sexual trauma. Though Black women are more likely to be subjected to sexual violence (often before the the age of 18), Black boys and men also struggle through sexual violence. There are stories about Black boys being molested by adult men and women in their families, by others associated with their family. There are stories about Black boys being sexually abused by female babysitters. But in most cases, these boys grow up as men and retell these stories as rights of passage.
It's because patriarchy has taught Black men that any grown woman who sexualizes them is a prerequisite to true Black manhood. If violated by a man, then it's indication that they were weak and possibly enjoyed it somehow because they didn't "try too hard to fight back." The discourse around sexuality and its erroneous association with childhood molestation will forever bother me, but I digress.
Unfortunately, most Black male survivors of CSA feel pressured to perform toxic masculinity to cover up the fact that there was no one in their lives to help them navigate the crime that took place. Or protect them from the person or people that violated them. And in most cases, these same men end up passing on that same trauma onto their male children. Or end being extremely violent towards Black women and girls (trans and cis) because only way they express their pain is through violence.
A post for the ages
Good to know college kids are still trolling their sociology professors
Type shit :(
Not to mention the next line “Diamonds, they cover my flaws, I’m actin brand new type shit” could be an entirely different post.
this is the greatest post to exist on substack
Thank you. Many people are saying this. We love this.
This is The Onion for black history/culture. Subscribed.
An extraordinarily perceptive essay, and I’m grateful to have been introduced to the oeuvre of Playboi Carti—clearly a poet whose verse will outlast these troubled times.
You mention that much of Carti’s work escapes the confines of intelligible language. I wonder if, seen through a Lacanian lens, he is striving to break the linguistic strictures of the Symbolic Order, thus bringing about a direct confrontation with The Real. That being the case, the experience of what Kristeva calls Abjection (the painful handjob) would constitute an unnecessary path to the same destination that he is approaching through the subversion of language.
Just a thought.
This is a masterpiece the best post ive ever read on substack
Thanks man. I've got some better stuff coming for you
I don’t think I’ve ever laughed out loud on Substack until I found you
Now this is the kind of well thought out masterfully written literary analysis I use substack for
This could genuinely be the best piece of text I’ve ever read
This is the funniest thing I’ve ever read. I am obsessed.
I found this at 8 am on a Tuesday morning, and I am ✨ obsessed ✨
The greatest writer of our generation
This is what Black Greatness 👏👏👏looks like. Black Girl MAGIC 👏👏👏at its finest. One day, i too, will become a Black Woman 👏👏👏. And all my dreams will come true.