Wack

Wesleyan Rap Genius: “We Have Girlfriends. How Can We Promote Sexual Assault?”

“Play this for the board of trustees,” a college bro says on a hip-hop track defending his “boys” from rape charges.

Rapping 101 is apparently not a class offered at Wesleyan University. Earlier this year, a student sued Xi Chapter of Psi Upsilon and eleven of its members, claiming she was raped in front of onlookers at a party. But Joey Gallo has identified the real victims of campus sexual assault—frat bros—and he has decided to fight for justice with some rhymes.

Gallo, class of 2014, posted a track, clocking in at over seven minutes, titled “For The Boys,” on his SoundCloud. Gallo, doing his best Eminem-meets-Alex P. Keaton impression, raps (but not before opening with a “trigger warning”): “our voices are muted as our reputations impaired.”

Gallo’s frustration is palpable. “Fucking headlines. A cult of vultures claim rape culture as if they know us—as if we’re of a singular mold—as if we inherently condone these incidents in our house. Half of us have girlfriends. How could you say that we promote sexual assault?” Smart take.

Gallo continues with such gems as, “play this for the board of trustees. Tell them I made it for the boys—boys, boys.”

In May 2013, Cabri Chamberlin alleges that she attended a “wildly out of control” pledge “strip show.” After becoming uncomfortable with the tone of the party, Chamberlin’s suit says, she tried to leave, but was stopped by a male student who picked her up and raped her in the presence of other partygoers.

In a statement, Chamberlin said, “I can’t even describe the pain of being raped, or how much it alters a life, and no other person should ever be forced to have that experience. I hope my experience and lawsuit will create changes that protect others.”

In his rap, Gallo takes a moment to acknowledge the pain victims of rape must deal with. “Condolences to the survivors. I’m so very sorry.”

Gallo charges that the rape allegations at Wesleyan minimize legitimate rape allegations. “The worst part is you’re trivializing such a terrible crime, undermining the gravity of situations that can arise, cracking down on fabrications is making me sick. Students didn’t do shit and now they face these consequence [sic].”

A pained Gallo makes it clear who he thinks the real victims are when he cries “why they want to see us suffer?” before concluding, “It’s hypocrisy. Maybe it’s just hip hop in me. But this shit bothers me.”

To his credit, Gallo does seem to understand that he is trolling. “So bring on the hate mail—the you-promote-rape mail,” he invites. “If this angers you, take my cap and gown. I’m not afraid. You’ll never take my poise, you’ll never take my voice, and I love my girls—all of them—but I wrote this for the boys.”

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Olivia Nuzzi

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