Inner City Mama
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ATELLITE Andrea Stuart talks to Neneh Cherry Inner City Mama For many women, the sight In the album Raw Like Sushi Your lyrics are written very feeling good but there's also of Neneh Cherry in black you fuse so many different sub- much from a woman's point of resistance in it. It's political in leggings and matching top, jects and styles, that's quite view. What do you feel about the fullest sense of the word. grooving, hugely pregnant subversive. the 'feminist* label? I don't feel that me and the and totally sexy, on Top Of The subject matter sort of Feminism's done a lot, it people who I make music The Pops, may well be comes by accident. I clock gave woman the strength to with can really change things remembered as the real start things that I see and read and stand up and do what she or that we have lots of power. of the 1990s. when I write I stumble over could always do anyway. But It just isn't like that. But we Born in Sweden to a Swed- them again by accident. The I don't call myself a feminist. can stimulate and inspire or ish mother and African father, most important thing is the I don't feel the need, I'm just just make a person get up Neneh has an impeccable simplicity, as soon as I trying to be a woman. and go more. cross-cultural pedigree, her write something that sounds You've described yourself as a I try to get that energy into first memory is of a plane preachy, I'll sit there and 'womanist'. Do you feel more all my songs, even into songs journey. Her childhood years, sweat over it to make it real comfortable there? about relationships that aren't punctuated by trips with and basic rather than sound- Yeah, maybe I've just fallen working. It's up to us to step-dad, jazz trumpeter Don ing like a song's got all the victim to what the word change things and to avoid Cherry, were spent commut- answers. 'feminist' carries. It just bitterness. We need love in ing between her mother's Knowing the answers is a diffe- brings a certain picture to our lives, even when it's kil- homeland and the Cherrys' rent thing, but you do ask a lot mind. I grew up outside of it, ling us. New York base. of the right questions. I wasn't old enough when Listening to your music, I was At 16, Neneh decided to People avoid subjects for a feminism was really rank- thinking that you're very good move to Britain where she lot of reasons. They have ing. But I can see what it was on boys! became part of London's ideas of what commercial doing, and when I look at the I've studied them. Because I music underground. First, as music should be like and so way women had to be to do like them. an 'honorary member' of the they restrict themselves. what they had to do; it meant You're sympathetic but you quintessential punk girl group, But whenever I come across giving up the woman to a don't let men off the hook. The Slits, and later as part of things that have quality, it certain extent. We had to Your lyrics don't say: 'I'm go- the anarchic Rip, Rig And excites me. Like when I first prove to the world that we ing to let you get away with Panic, who allowed her quirky came to England and got into could do what men could do. behaving like a shit,' but you voice free reign. reggae music. It wasn't just And now women have reached seem to recognise their own Not 'just another rap artist', the message but the feel of a stage where we can have sense of frustration and failure her music challenges the victory, like it knew itself. children and still work and emotionally- Is that because 'mine-is-bigger-than-yours' Growing up listening to salsa, have the love and have the you like them? machismo of her male coun- latin music as well as reggae lives. Though God knows it's I've always liked men. I terparts. Her spare, humo- and then punk, you are one of still a fight. think that because I like rous, often autobiographical the generation of people who The image of you dancing when them it's meant that I haven't lyrics - whether on relation- can pull from and respond to you were eight months preg- put up with any of their ships or having a good time, world music in a comfortable nant is probably one of the bullshit. I've known them a integrity or babies (she has way. most liberating images of little bit. When you like two) - are concerned with From the start I've worked woman for a long time. It's someone, you instantly start people, the community. They with people who went into really important, the idea that treating them a little bit are committed without preach- music with open minds, with- you can feel sexy when you're better. Women quite often ing or being pretentious. out confining it. Now there's pregnant. That you can be in have to help men into open- From the bravado of Buf- a new generation of people control of your image. ing up. But I didn't have to go falo Stance to the wistful coming out who've had that I decided that it was some- through that with the man I Manchild, the songs draw exposure. We're crossing a thing that I had to do. Not am with now. He almost did references from all kinds of bridge, people are realising that I went and got pregnant it to me, helping me to get pop music and their rhythms that not stereotyping your- just to show that! It was just stronger. from a range of musical sty- self to fit in makes stronger one of those things that hap- He pushed me into writing les - hip hop, latin beats, art. Especially in England, pened and at first I thought: songs. It's not easy working funk, soul, reggae - and because in the music scene 'Oh my God, I'm going to together and having a rela- whether insistent or insi- the barriers are thinner. You have to wait for a year, tionship. A lot of women nuating, they demand that can see that when you look at people won't be able to hand- have had to protect them- you move and defy you to be the charts. In America things le this.' But then I just selves against that, because apathetic. are very divided, from the decided I was going to deal the man takes everything A gorgeous fusion of black pop chart to the black chart. with it. from them and sucks their and white, Neneh's a conspi- What do you make of all the I know some women go creativity out of them. racy of contradictions. Iro- labels that have been attached through hell, and it could Do you think that men have nic, never cynical, she's half to you? have been like that, but with changed? urban grit, half designer I don't take them seriously. both kids I've been fine. It's a Sure, they've changed a little chic; 'all woman' but still People like to think that they really sensual experience, bit. Women have made them comfortable as 'one of the know you and what you're you know, and it's just been change because we've rec- boys'. going to do next but if you made into this sickness. I ognised ourselves and taken Neneh Cherry manages to give them exactly what they knew that getting through a stand. But our society has be politically credible and want then they lose interest, with that obstacle sticking also been hard on men. I can seriously pleasurable. Talk they start resenting you. out in front, people were go- understand why they've be- about the promise of divers- That's what I kick against. ing to take me for what I am. come defensive. To an extent ity - she's so hip it hurts. Move Being a prisoner of those labels? Your songs are about commun- you could say that women over Prince and Madonna, we Yeah. But I think people are ity and relationships, about diffi- have made men into what have found the ultimate icon always going to put stamps culties and pleasure. Buffalo they are because we've let for these new times. or labels on me. Stance, has a strong sense of them get away with a hell of 40 MARXISM TODAY DECEMBER 1989 INTERVIEW a lot in the past. But things are getting better. That's quite optimistic. A lot of people are saying that men are confused right now and more useless than they were before. But you seem to put yourself in their place in your lyrics, see- ing their confusion from the inside. I think it's because I rec- ognise myself in other things all the time. Although we're different, we can still rec- ognise someone's reaction to something without it being necessarily the way we would react to it. With people of different colour, or men and women, there's a sense that we have created a world of oppositions.