Rapper Bambu Tackles Domestic Violence–as a Man’s Problem

The Filipino artist narrates in first person about being the abuser.

By Thoai Lu Apr 13, 2011

Recent news has been littered with reports of direct and systemic violence against women, such as the Texas Rape of a young Latina and the GOP’s effort to defund Planned Parenthood. Amid that fury, Los Angeles-based emcee Bambu has stepped up to the plate through his music. The Filipino rapper leaked the song  "Something" last month, which discusses an issue relevant to Women’s History Month: domestic violence. 

Bambu takes a daring standpoint, narrating from a first person perspective on what it means to be the abuser. In the music video, released this month, Bambu portrays a character who commits suicide because his partner, tired of abuse, has left him. It’s quite rare to hear from the perpetrators of violence, especially when they’re men of color. Hyphen Magazine  comments on Bambu’s message: 

He breaks it down with every line: the cycle of violence, how violent behavior can be passed down through generations, how domestic violence is as much a men’s issue as it is a women’s issue. He puts to words a painful truth for many of us: that the culture of violence can be inescapable.

According to the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Reform, over 40 percent of Asian Americans report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetimes, and that is just the figure for reported cases.

This powerful track, produced by DJ Phatrick, will be available on Bambu’s upcoming "Short Changed" Ep, set to drop April 29. Be sure to check out the video, as it intelligently summarizes how domestic violence in communities of color is just as much of a man’s issue as it is a woman’s.