What is the mission of Take Back the Music?
Our mission is to raise the level of public dialogue and debate surrounding the way Black women are depicted in the often misogynistic lyrics and images of popular culture. Through editorial content within the magazine and national events beyond it, we’re exploring the many effects these one-sided images have on our communities. We want to empower our readers to voice their concerns and we want to encourage people, especially Black men and women and those in the music industry, to work toward a balanced portrayal of our character in Black music. Our aim is not to censor or point fingers at individual artists, but to raise consciousness and promote ways for consumers and producers of music to bring about more alternatives to the predominant representation of Black women as hypersexual objects. (See our Mission Statement for more.)

Why was Take Back the Music formed?
ESSENCE has always celebrated the richness and diversity of Black popular culture, particularly the amazing artists and innovators who shape our musical tradition. But at the same time we are passionately committed to highlighting the achievements and beauty of Black women. Our aim is to consistently counter the negative messages about us so often found in urban music. Given the demeaning and monotonous manner in which Black women are currently packaged in so much of today’s videos and lyrics, we felt it was time to provide a more visible platform for discussion.

Music has been raunchy for years. Why is ESSENCE just doing this now?
While coarse lyrics and half-naked women in music videos are nothing new, over the past few years the imagery has become even more graphic and more prevalent. Popular music once covered a variety of subjects, but today pimping, debasing and objectifying women is the standard. Further still, these messages are readily accessible to children on the radio and television. We’re concerned about where this is heading if people don’t at least start talking about it now.

Are you calling for a boycott of hip-hop?
No. In fact, many of us at ESSENCE love and strongly identify with hip-hop. We recognize it as a broad, artistically valid form of expression and rich culture, and we are fully aware that hip-hop has empowered many African-Americans to become entrepreneurs and activists. Although we’re gravely concerned about some aspects of the music, we believe in freedom of speech. And we strongly believe that individuals should make their own decisions about what to listen to, watch and buy. Our initiative has never involved any attempt to boycott or boot any artist off the air. Rather, we encourage an open exchange of ideas that will motivate individuals to consider their opinions and act in ways that they feel are appropriate for them.

Why do you focus on the bad in hip-hop and highlight so much negativity?
Because, sadly, there is so much negativity there. Too often, song lyrics and music videos bombard us with the message that Black women are bitches and hos whose only aspiration is to mount a stripper pole. Worse still are lyrics that advocate violence against women. As the world’s foremost publication for Black women, we’ve been too quiet for too long. On the other hand, the magazine has always publicized positive artists and musicians who are seldom found on TV and radio, and we will continue to do so.

What is the ESSENCE staff’s point of view in this “conversation”?
The ESSENCE staff comprises Black women of varied ages and backgrounds; thus, we represent a variety of opinions on the issue. As one of our editors famously put it: “We’re not all carnations—we’re a bouquet.” Some of us are completely disgusted by degrading lyrics and imagery, while others, being proud members of the hip-hop generation who love the music, are ambivalent. In spite of these different levels of distress, however, we are all concerned about our narrow depiction in urban music and the way it affects the self-image and beliefs of our children. All of us feel the need for more balance.

If you’re so concerned about the image of Black women, then why is it okay for ESSENCE to put Beyoncé, Vivica A. Fox and others on the cover?
ESSENCE is not opposed to sexuality, booty-shaking or “eye candy.” The conversation we’ve opened has far more nuance and complexity than that. We celebrate Black women as independent, sexy and comfortable with the skin they’re in. The problem we’re addressing is the overwhelming, disproportionate number of narrow images that flood the radio, television, music industry and magazines. Also important is the misogynist nature—constant name-calling and threats of violence and degradation—in which they are packaged. ESSENCE magazine, in contrast, provides a broad spectrum of images to reflect the many facets of Black women.

Why is this initiative called Take Back the Music? Take it back from whom?
Before hip-hop entered the mainstream, it covered a diverse range of topics: Black pride, humor, crime, politics, sex, partying. These certainly weren’t all positive messages, but different kinds of rappers still had prominent places in the culture. As the music has made the shift from art to corporate product, however, much of it is now formulaic and monotonous, with pimp ideology at the forefront. Thus, the call to action in our name is for Black people to reclaim the culture from the corporate entities that now control its images and messages.

Will Take Back the Music work to achieve public policy or legislation?
No. Take Back the Music does not seek to regulate music or censor artists, because the campaign is not about placing blame on any type of music. Our focus is on raising consciousness and empowering Black women to make changes for themselves.

What programs does Take Back the Music offer?

• Action Steps: Along with each Take Back the Music feature story in the magazine, we publish a series of tangible, practical tactics that readers can take to generate a shift in their homes and communities. The steps range from the personal (listening carefully to and critiquing the lyrics to a favorite song) to the public (calling or writing a local radio station to request a song by an alternative artist who challenges the status quo).
• Opportunities for dialogue on our Web site, Essence.com: Each story has an accompanying Scribble Board. Many, many readers have exchanged ideas and, in some cases, insults on the site. The conversations, often compelling, offer a peek into the way many of our people, of all ages, feel about contemporary music.
• Town Hall Meetings: On February 25, 2005 at Spelman College in Atlanta, we assembled a panel of artists, industry executives and students to discuss the portrayal of Black women in hip-hop. We participated in a similar panel on the island of St. Maarten, June 5, 2005, and we held a think tank at the Congressional Black Caucus' annual legislative weekend in September. Several of our committee members make television and radio appearances, and they also speak to community youth organizations in New York City.

I read in a newspaper column/Web site/article from another magazine that you’re out to attack Black men/want to ban hip-hop music/believe that women should not be sexy/ and so on. Why so many different stories?
Since Take Back the Music hit in January 2005, numerous media outlets have picked up on the initiative, and many of the reports have been off base. Further still, individuals and organizations—particularly conservative groups—have tried to link their own agendas to our campaign and have misappropriated our goals. It’s difficult for us to rebut all the false claims made on our behalf, so we ask that you be discerning about what you read and hear about our mission from outside sources.

What does Take Back the Music hope to achieve in the end?
In the end, we hope to have called widespread attention to popular music’s portrayals of Black women, encouraged people to examine their own attitudes on the subject, and effected action for change. We know that derogatory lyrics and images about Black women will not be completely wiped out, and that’s not what we’re advocating. But we believe that through opening a national discussion, a shift can be made in a more creative and positive direction to achieve a greater balance in what we hear and see.