Rhymefest Talks Rush Limbaugh Controversy: “We Can’t Always Protect Hip-Hop”
Rhymefest believes that outspoken radio host Rush Limbaugh tried to use hip-hop as a scapegoat to wiggle out of his recent controversial remarks. However, the Chicago rapper also believes that hip-hop is guilty of giving Limbaugh the ammunition to blame the culture in the first place.
“On one hand, it’s like he’s using hip-hop as a scapegoat, but, we can’t always protect hip-hop like hip-hop is always innocent,” ” Rhymefest told XXLMag.com. “It’s like this: If you call your mama a bitch all the time in front of people in the neighborhood and then someone around the corner tells your mama, ‘Shut up, bitch!’ it’s kind of like you ordained that shit, right?
“In hip-hop, we do so much to hurt ourselves and then get mad when someone does something to disrespect us,” he added.
Rhymefest is one of several rappers who responded to Limbaugh after he recently blamed hip-hop for his comments about Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke, who he called a “slut” and “prostitute.” After issuing an on-air and written apology for the disrespectful name-calling, Limbaugh took to his radio show to use rap lyrics as an excuse for his comments.
“Talk about a double standard,” Limbaugh said. “Rappers can say anything they want about women. It’s called art. And they win awards.”
Rhymefest, who came up short in his run for alderman of Chi-town’s infamous 20th ward back in April of 2011, believes that if Limbaugh wants to reference hip-hop, maybe he should just rap.
“If he wants to do what rappers do, then by all means, Rush Limbaugh should become a rapper,” Rhymefest said. “If he wants to be a rapper, make a rap album. Rappers are speaking to a specific audience and as a political person, he’s speaking to a specific audience. But with his audience, it’s not appropriate to call someone a slut.
“He used rap as a scapegoat,” Rhymefest continued. “It was a White man criticizing a White woman (Fluke). How the hell does hip-hop get involved? Rush Limbaugh is blatantly wrong.”
Despite losing his bid for alderman, Rhymefest says he still has “political juice” in his hometown. He revealed that he’s assisting Kanye West with the Donda’s World project, an outreach program named after ’Ye’s late mother.
“It’s a community-outreach program and it’s going to be huge,” Rhymefest said. “It’s more about helping shorties. It’s probably what I’ve been doing as an alderman anyway.”
Rhymefest also shared that his Motorcycle Diaries album should arrive late summer.—Mark Lelinwalla
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