Brooke candy das me official music video

A Mile In Her Shoes

“Well if you say you haven’t[had sex] you’re a prude. If you say you have[had sex], you’re a slut. It’s a trap”(Breakfast Club). Although this quote comes from a classic movie made in the mid 80s, it is still sadly relevant to today’s society. This idea is becoming more and more prominent with younger age groups. In addition, this sort of example sums up the main idea of a double standard, which according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is a situation in which two people, groups, etc., are treated very differently from each other in a way that is unfair to one of them. For decades, this idea has been held upon women in the fields of pop culture, fashion, education, lifestyle, etc. However, I believe that the one area where the double standard is mainly seen is in the field of music, with examples such as Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Kesha, Nikki Minaj, and Iggy Azalea. In addition, I believe the artist who truly summarizes this complex idea is nonetheless than Brooke Candy. As a female rapper in a hypocritical era, Brooke Candy has done nothing more than challenge the double standard through not only her music but also her videos. In the video, “Das Me” by Brooke Candy, Brooke challenges the double standard portrayed throughout the rap genre by presenting herself through sexual behaviors/actions.

Like many male rappers, Brooke brings a sexual factor into her video, however instead of having it be looked over, it paints a rather negative image for herself. Such examples are seen as early as 25 seconds into the video with not only Brooke herself but other women facing towards the wall twerking in nothing more than revealing lingerie. Nonetheless, images similar to the previous stated, (i.e. girls kissing and bouncing their breasts, imitation of fingering, etc.), are seen throughout the video which would categorize it as a graphic source of media. However, if such material were to be seen in a predominately male rap video, society would mark it as nothing more than just “normal”. A similar idea is represented in an episode of the youtube channel, Shmacked College Tv, when an interviewee explains, “Say I got a twin sister right? I sit here, my twin sister is here. I fuck a million girls, my dick is gonna look the exact same. She’s fucked by a million guys, that pussy is not gonna look the exact same I guarantee it”(“Players Vs. Sluts”). In other words, women are deemed “low class trash” once they become more sexual/sexually active than men for no other reason than because that is the way society works. Even Brooke herself states it in her lyrics when she says, “You say that I’m a slut. A dude could fuck 3 bitches and they’d say that he’s the man but I get it in with twins, she’s a whore thats what they saying”(“Das Me”). However, through the mixture of her lyrics and sexual actions, it is evident that instead becoming offended, Brooke embraces the slutty stereotype; “a woman with the morals of a man”(Urban Dictionary). However, by embracing the same stereotype, she is transmitting a message that distinctly states that she can do whatever a guy does and no one can tell her otherwise. In other words, she is trying to break the stereotypes exactly promoted by the interviewed college student. All in all, Brooke is challenging the double standard though embracing the deemed stereotype rather than denying it.

Just like any male rapper, Brooke has a certain appearance in her video, however instead of being labeled as unique, she is referred to as slutty. As clueless as it may sound, it is obvious that an artists image, whether it be in a music video or an interview, is one of the most important things in comparison to other aspects of their career. However, with the way today’s society is formed, artists like Flavor Flav and Lil John are able to sport grillz and tatted up shirtless bodies yet women like Miley Cyrus and Brooke Candy are marked as whores for doing the same. According to the article, “A Dress Code Double standard? #YesAllWomen Answers ‘Yes’”, “dress codes are discriminatory toward women and girls…some of the rules that dictate what students can wear unfairly forced girls to cover up while making few, if any, restrictions for boys”. Although this is directed towards education systems, it still relates due to the fact that everyday of our lives there is a dress code in place, with examples such as party attire, work attire, church attire, etc. Therefore, it is evident that in her video, Brooke Candy is challenging this aspect by dressing the exact opposite of what the public eye would approve of. Such examples are the following but not exclusive to her pink braided hair, grills, metal/nude body suit, long nails, bra, tight leggings, thong, tattoo, big earrings, etc. Amanda Marccotte, a journalist for Slate, stated that, “…she doesn’t measure girls by their hemlines by not measuring them by their hemlines”. In other words, the day the world decides to stop judging a woman by her physical exterior will be the day her true potential will come through. Therefore, Brooke Candy is starting this revolution by trying to express the idea that once you get past her loud exterior will be the day that people will start to understand the messages behind her quality music.

Although, our society has conditioned itself to always put women two steps behind men, people like Brooke Candy are beginning to speak up and do the exact opposite. Like Brooke says in her own song, “It’s time to take the back ‘Slut’ is now a compliment, a sexy-ass female who running shit and confident, lady who on top of it, a female with a sex drive”(“Das Me”). Although lyrics aren’t to be taking seriously, the message of women embracing their sexuality is present and clear. When it comes down to the facts, Brooke Candy is trying to explain that it doesn’t matter whether a woman is wearing lingerie, dancing in a sexual manner, or bathing herself in drugs and alcohol, what matters is that she has the right to express herself in the same way a male is able to express himself. Through her words and actions, Brooke is trying to break down the barrier between men and women so that one day a woman would not be judged by the way she acts no matter what she does. Therefore, in the words of Brooke Candy herself, “Next time they call you a slut Brooke Candy tell you not to give a fuck”(“Das Me”).

Word Count: 1,139

Works Cited

Bahadur, Nina. "5 Things Women Are Judged More Harshly For Than Men." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 7 Mar. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014

I found this source very beneficial because it really put my thoughts into a few words. This topic was debating the double standard which I was looking at, especially regarding sexual activity. The article summed up the difference between being a player/stud and a slut.

Candy, Brooke. "BROOKE CANDY "DAS ME" OFFICIAL VIDEO." YouTube. YouTube, 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.

This is the music video I am using for my essay and is supporting my argument on double standard held upon women. In this video, Brooke Candy is exploring the idea of how she can do the exact same thing as guys and not be judged by it

"Double Standard." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.

Haithcoat, Rebecca. "Meet Brooke Candy: Rapper, Stripper, Warrior." LA Weekly. LA Weekly, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.

This was an online dictionary that helped me define the word double standard in my essay.

"I'm Shmacked College TV - Players Vs. Sluts." YouTube. YouTube, 14 Sept. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.

In this short reality film, they were asking college students the different between a player and a slut. This was very beneficial for me because my entire essay is based on the double standard held on women and men. Brooke is held against the double standard because she is doing the exact same thing as other male rappers however being criticized at the exact same time.

Summers, Juana. "A Dress Code Double Standard? #YesAllWomen Answers 'Yes'" NPR. NPR, 27 May 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.

Regarding this article, it supported my idea on personal presentation between a man and a woman. In other words this article regarded how school uniform regulation was so harsh on girls however it barely even regard any regulations for boys. In my article, I was debating how Brookes personal appearance was judged whereas other male rappers can wear whatever they want and they are not judged what so ever.