Lots of rap and hip-hop songs are littered with expletives. Often, this profanity goes hand in hand with violence, misogyny, and references to drugs.
But, can profanity have a place in music? Is it possible for a songwriter to employ curse words in a subtle way? Can the F word in a song help (or be necessary) to get the emotional impact across to the listener?
Is all profanity by definition offensive, crass, or tasteless? Below are two songs in which I think the use of profanity is justified:
“F**k Was I” by Jenny Owen Youngs:
“F**k and Run” by Liz Phair:
