"We're all changing and we need to look out for each other and make sure that we're pulling people up when we can" Comments made by AJ Tracey about the objectification of women in rap music have resurfaced, with the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star arguing that many rappers aren’t “aware of the severity of what they’re saying”. READ MORE: AJ Tracey on the cover: “I’ve gone through so much. It’s been so hard, and I’m still here” Recently, a clip recirculated online of the West Londoner talking at the prestigious Oxford Union in October 2022.
A student asked Tracey if the objectification of women in rap and drill was integral to the genre’s culture and how to change it. The ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star began by thanking her for her question, adding that it is “a serious one”. “I do not think the culture and the objectification of women are one and the same,” he said.
“I think it’s a decision young men make – to rap about certain topics. Sometimes they feel that they are rapping about their lived experiences but, in general, they’re actually hurting a large group of people by the comments they make. He explained further: “And, I’m sure a lot of them aren’t aware because they’re young and naïve.
I’m sure I’ve said things in the past that are offensive to certain groups but as you learn and grow – as a human and as an artist – you learn to not say these things. Some of the environments you grow up in are very toxic and we don’t learn t.