While discussing the speech First Lady Michelle Obama made Thursday about Republican Donald Trump's 2005 grope tape, pundit Scottie Nell Hughes argued that Mrs. Obama doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to the treatment of women because she associates with rap artists. It's an argument she has made in response to Raw Story's own tweets before. But, Democratic strategist Bakari Sellers smacked down that tired statement in the best possible way.
"When she said the men in her life don't really talk about that I have a problem with that because one of the issues as conservatives and evangelicals is the invitation she's extended to various rap artists like Jay-Z," Hughes began. "Who uses the words like the b's and the ho's, and money cash ho's, and the b don't kill my vibe and the poetry readings with known poetry writers that won't peoples that threaten to shoot police and burn George W. Bush. She does hang out with some people or invited them into the white house numerous times, consider them to be her friends that use language very inappropriate towards women, so across the board. Hopefully, this is opening up that conversation among pop culture about really how we respect women in all areas, not just in politics."
That's when Sellers brought some reality to the conversation. "That's absurd," he said. "First, let me address Paris, because Paris said that he wants to talk about issues but we just saw a debate where the first thing that happened an hour before the debate was Donald Trump sat there and trotted out four or five women allegedly accusing Bill Clinton of acts. So, you didn't want to talk about issues then but you want to talk about issues now."
When it comes to Hughs and the comments she made about rap music, Sellers said it was the red-herring everyone seems to be bringing up today. "That all the sudden rap and hop music is to blame for the cowardice and predatory behavior of Donald Trump. let me tell you something, black America today, and hip-hop music and the culture that you are it represents is not responsible for some billionaire white male who has a problem with women."
Sellers continued that everyone has a problem with the language used in lyrics. "The fact of the matter is this in this discussion we're having now, this isn't about Beyonce this isn't about Kendrick Lamar. This is about Donald Trump running for president of the United States and all those talking points you're mentioning are absurd."
Before the break, Lemon brought up that musician Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature today, as an example that artists often say and do things to make a cultural statement.
"Especially when Bob Dylan gets the Nobel Peace Price, who has spoken out against the government and war and again against his own country in many ways and he gets the Nobel Peace Prize, but the Obamas get criticized for bringing artists to the White House."
Check out the smackdown below:
