A Christchurch rapper is defending a music video that appears to condone rape, saying it was meant to be “funny”.
Calls have been made for Nick Gotti, aka “Era da Pimp”, to remove his song – in which he proclaims that he will take vengeance on a woman who refuses his advances by raping her – and to apologise.
The rapper is part of the Blacked Out City label consisting of DJs, producers and entertainers that started three years ago.
The video shows him at the Riccarton Races pretending to stalk women before interviewing them about their sexual preferences. Some women appear to be intoxicated.
Earlier this month a series of synchronised protests throughout the country aimed to “bust rape culture”.
Bust Rape Culture Now, a group that formed after revelations teen-group the Roast Busters were boasting online about group sex with drunk and underage females, organised the national day of action.
Protest co-organiser Ruth Amato called for a public apology from Gotti, for the “horrible” lyrics to be changed and for the video to be removed.
Gotti said that while there had been a lot of “haters” over the video, he had no plans to change it or remove it.
“I don’t think rape is cool . . . I realise now it’s not the best thing to say but I didn’t mean go out and rape someone. It’s just meant as funny rap but I should have known better.” He said he believed in “artistic freedom”.
“If it’s not your flavour, then you have a choice not to watch it . . . Some people get my humour and some people don’t like it.”
Amato said Gotti’s response was “not good enough”. “People may hear that song and may think that rape is OK,” she said.
She also called for other musicians to take a stand against the music video. It was wrong to make light of a serious issue.
“There’s a huge problem in the narrative – that men should feel entitled to sex all the time and women, by not consenting, are asking for it.
“The Roast Busters wasn’t something that existed in a vacuum.
“Our musical community should not condone those attitudes in their songs.”
Amato said she would like to see Gotti attend education programmes to change his attitude to sexual violence and “take steps to make sure it’s not going to happen again”.
The video comes after Metro magazine was forced to backtrack on a satirical column it penned appearing to make light of rape.
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