If the dissing between rappers turns into a vehicle for misogyny

We did it again. We've imported, in a reduced and lower-quality version, the feud between today's most talked-about rappers. While Canada and the U.S. have Drake and Kendrick, we have Tony Effe and Chiara Ferragni's ex-husband. Unfortunately, this isn't the first thing we've imported. Drake and Kendrick attacked each other, primarily focusing on their tumultuous relationships with women. The Compton rapper accused his rival of having pedophilic tendencies and constantly hanging around underage girls. The 37-year-old from Toronto hit back, accusing Lamar of beating his wife. Social networks exploded with comments and opinions. Who wins? Who loses? Not a single thought for the women involved, for their possible mistreatment. Now, those same songs about grooming and violence are danced to and sung worldwide.

Vittoria Ceretti and the other women used in the feud

In their own way, our local rappers did the same thing. In their songs, Instagram stories, music videos, and sly digs, they use Chiara Ferragni, Chiara Biasi, Taylor Mega, and Vittoria Ceretti to attack each other. Nicolò Rapisarda sings, "Chiara says she adores me," while Federico Lucia responds with: "Doing keta with Chiara Biasi," and "You've spent more time waxing than being with Vittoria Ceretti." In the end, Mega, a longtime ex of the Dark Polo Gang member, appears by his side. Indirectly caught in the middle is Tony's current fling, influencer Giulia De Lellis. Also involved is Niky Savage's girlfriend, Roberta Carluccio, whose past partners Effe listed in a blatant example of slut-shaming. It's worth noting that Savage's own lyrics are a celebration of stereotypes, insults, sexually suggestive imagery, and slurs. In short, it's an endless loop. We won't even dwell here on the underlying homophobic and sexist stereotypes—that's a topic for another time.

Fans go wild, and misogyny runs rampant

The result? The comment sections of these women are flooded with a fast, constant, and relentless stream of unflattering remarks from the fans of these artists. These comments are filled with misogynistic insults, heavy insinuations, and vulgar language. What do these women have to do with the feud? What's their fault? None, but it was the two rappers who chose to involve them by name, wielding them like weapons or flags to hurt each other, to spark conversation, to win the battle of marketing and visibility, without realizing the impact this would have on them. When will they take responsibility? Everything is fair game, and by "everything," we mean the peace and public image of the women who were unlucky enough to date, marry, or be associated with them in any way. Their fans, often fueled by their own latent misogyny, follow suit, happy to have an excuse to jump into the fray.

Google trends and the shadow of men over women’s success

As if that weren't enough, Google search trends are now dominated by this feud and these women. Viewers eagerly search for their names, wanting to know who they are and what their story is. You could call it free publicity—any attention is good—if it weren't for the fact that we're once again reinforcing harmful stereotypes that should be eradicated, not reinforced. Women become famous in the shadow of their relationships, labeled as "so-and-so's girlfriend" or "that one from that guy" even when they have long, successful careers. It doesn't matter what you think about their careers or whether you personally like them. What matters is that these two rappers, even when not using immediately offensive words, perpetuate the idea of women as tools, as collateral damage in their anger, as a weak spot to exploit, as accessories to the tough, cool, and rude men. The solution? There isn't a fast one. Still, it's a good idea not to stay silent.