Kinew addresses ‘misogynistic and homophobic’ hip-hop lyrics

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This article was published 05/03/2016 (3592 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In wake of scrutiny over lyrics from his former hip-hop career, Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew has released a letter he wrote to his volunteers on social media.

In a post on Facebook, Kinew acknowledged his past use of “misogynistic and homophobic” lyrics in his rap career and again apologized, stating “I know words can hurt and cause real harm.”

“Over a lifetime of internalizing the message that you are ‘less than,’ you start to believe some of the lies you hear about yourself. It lowers your sense of self-worth and influences your behaviour. You begin to censor your own thoughts and actions or make choices because of the way you expect to be perceived as an Indigenous person,” read part of the post.

Kinew’s rap lyrics from when he was a hip-hop artist became a hot topic after Southdale Liberal candidate Jamie Hall was forced to exit the race one day after his nomination when misogynist and sexist remarks on his Twitter feed were revealed. At a news conference Friday, Fort Rouge Progressive Conservative candidate Audrey Gordon called the NDP hypocritical for calling for Hall to step down when Kinew had spouted sexist and homophobic rap lyrics in the past.

“Offensive and hateful comments like those made by former Liberal candidate Jame Hall in Southdale and current NDP candidate Wab Kinew in Fort Rouge devalue and degrade women and have no place in 2016 in rap music, literature or politics,” Gordon said at the new conference.

Kinew goes on to say in the post that his wife, sister and mother have called him “to account” and mentions the apology he made at the 2014 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, along with the apology he made in his 2015 book, The Reason You Walk.

“I have heard these truths and concluded that I need to change my behaviour to be a more positive influence on the world around me. As a result I have been working to make amends,” he writes in the post.

“While I recognize there are important differences in the realities women, LGBTIQ and two-spirited people face compared to those of Indigenous people, I can imagine how derogatory comments can lead to similar impacts in the life choices made by the people affected,” he writes.

He ends the post by writing that he looks forward to hearing “your comments, thoughts and concerns and I hope you’ll continue to work with me on this journey to represent the people of Fort Rouge.”