WARNING: THIS STORY HAS NAUGHTY WORDS IN IT.
A PARENT fled the Esplanade reserve with her young children because of profanities and misogynistic lyrics at a recent Fremantle Festival hip-hop event.
She says she was horrified to hear lyrics such as “smack your bitch up” and repeated use of the term “motherfucker” being broadcast next to the skateboard plaza, close to the children’s playground.
The event was the 12th annual Zou Rock hip-hop dance-off, marketed online as an “adult” event as part of the Norfolk Lanes Youth Festival.
“The dancing was really good — my husband even took some video — but when we tuned into the lyrics it was ‘homo this, motherfucker that’ so we quickly got out of there,” the mum says.
Councillor Dave Coggin concedes he’d have been upset to hear such lyrics, but thinks generally the skate plaza’s proximity to the playground has been beneficial for kids and families.
Cultural co-ordinator Pete Stone agrees the plaza enjoys a strong reputation as a family-friendly space: “With this in mind the city made sure MCs working on the day were briefed about the family nature of the event and asked to mind their language, which they did,” he told the Herald.
“We aren’t aware of any issues with the songs being played and have had no complaints, but it is possible the DJ may have played some songs containing inappropriate language so we’ll take this into account if the event goes ahead next year and check the playlists.”
The parent who spoke to the Herald said she’d been so upset she had written to the council—her first-ever complaint.
Zou Rock was contacted for comment.
by STEVE GRANT
Now Fremantle has a dedicated Youth Plaza at the reserve, you really need to ask about councils common sense or lack of it, By building a such a youth area in a place they wish to drive alcohol based events, which in turn has this sort of music and not to mention the drug trade that follows these events.
Its hardly responsible management of city assets and shows a clear disregard for the youth in our community.
Now the youth plaza is there its time to stop alcohol fueled events on the esplanade.
It amazes me the liquor licensing department grants permits for such locations.