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A Word to the Hip

Soul Rock from the Rock, Obawayo
Audio
A Word to the Hip
*Content Advisory: Track 103 includes a lyric, “fa****”, a word now understood to disparage gay men. In this song, it’s used to question Black masculinity, conflating weakness and gay men, particularly in the fight for Black power. This lyric reflects a history of homophobia and heteronormativity to defend against the harms of anti-Black racism. Smithsonian Folkways does not condone the term but has chosen to leave the album as published in its original state to serve as a historical document.
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