Blog # 6

The story told in the podcast is one about Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter aka Isis Tha Savior. She tells her story of hospitalization and incarceration, and how it deeply affects an African American family. She talks about her experience with the prison system, and how it draws many parallels to slavery and the plantation. She discusses the injustices women face in the rap industry.

As a child, Baxter had to make an ultimatum: whether she wanted to stay with her mom, or go into the system. As a child, in the system, the only thing she had to look forward to was her education. However, in college, she couldn’t keep her grades up and afford tuition, causing her to drop out. With her dream of getting a education getting destroyed, she had to resort to crime in order to survive. Her life of crime led to several arrests. But then, it all changed when she realized she was pregnant. After years of living in the moment, she now had to think her future, as well as the future of her unborn son. She starts preparing to be a mother. However, as she approaches her delivery date, her past approaches as well. She eventually gets arrested, and gives birth in shackles, similar to what a slave had to go through in a plantation. Her recovery from giving birth become synonymous with punishment. Eventually, after eight months of her arrest, she gets her freedom, and reunites with her son. Now, she’s determined to rebuild her life, and start a career in music, but not without any obstacles. According to Baxter, “Our physical bodies were products. And who was behind, you know, that industry? – old white men. Think about the music industry. There’s really, like, only five labels in the world. And who owns them? – old white men funding Black toxicity.”

One thought on “Blog # 6

  1. the way she explained the industry does show that it can be hard to be a female artist that thrives. A lot of the times the women are usually used as background dancers, mostly sex symbols. so it was difficult for a women to get into the industry just as is. imagine if this female artist was amazing but decided not to look the “part” that females usually play. so not only are you female but you don’t want to give in to the look they want you to have. it’s definitely a difficult industry.

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