Today’s popular music is nothing like it was ten years ago and is nothing like what it will be 10 years from now; or so one can hope. Between the malfunctioning fax machines used as background music and the lyrics that find a way to be offensive using a maximum of two phrases, it’s safe to say that the radio has become a contest of who can be the most obnoxious.

While Ke$ha and Pitbull continue to make formidable attempts at capturing the crown, there is one man who rises above the rest -- Jason Derulo. It is not uncommon to hear his songs on every Top Forty Hit radio station because he has, in fact, discovered the ultimate formula for collecting royalties. Mr. Derulo has not only mastered the art of creating a “catchy” hook, but has also found a way to create lyrics that are both objective and offensive. However, if he is not stopped we will raise a generation of young women who believe that their opportunity in life is measured by the size of their behind.

A lot has changed over the past century. Women have started pushing the boundaries of gender roles, stepping out of the man-made boxes they’ve been placed in. A much needed dose of independence has been administered and women everywhere are challenging gender roles and demanding what they have been denied for thousands of years. Every day is a step towards levelling the playing field and creating equality between women and men. However, some people are still stuck in the dinosaur age. Jason Derulo puts out records that objectify women and belittle their importance in society. His song ‘Talk Dirty’ describes a situation in which the woman he is with may not even speak English. The chorus is comprised of the following lines, “Been around the world/ Don’t speak the language/ but your booty don’t need explaining/ all I really need to understand is/ when you talk dirty to me.”  According to Mr. Derulo, it doesn’t matter whether or not he has the ability to communicate with this girl as long as he can understand that she is will to satisfy his needs. One doesn’t even have to hear anymore of the song to come to the conclusion that the world of Jason Derulo and his buddy, 2 Chainz, women are made to serve - not to speak. This song supports the idea that the only purpose a woman has in life is to service any man who walks through the door, regardless of how rude or arrogant he may be. It is ignorant and will only refute the concept that girls can do anything boys can do. If we continue to allow this message to be broadcasted through the airwaves, we will teach young woman that they are nothing more than glorified servants with a fancy piece of jewelry on their left hand.

Along with the independence movement, the campaign for better body image is stronger than ever. Companies project advertisements that promote the idea of being confident in your own skin. Anonymous messages such as “You’re beautiful,” and “Be you,” are scattered across the mirrors in high school bathrooms. Society is finally practicing what they preach by emphasizing that inner beauty is more important than being a size zero. But if one listens to the radio for five minutes it’s likely that another one of Jason Derulo’s charming hits will come blasting through the speakers. “Trumpets” is his latest and apparently, greatest hit. It features the charming lines “Is is weird that your ass reminds me of a Kanye West song?” Along with that slick line, it also mentions that Mr. Derulo hears symphonies whenever his lady of the hour removes her clothing. “Every time that you get undressed/ I hear symphonies in my head.” This implies that her body is the only important thing about her. He never once compliments her intelligence or her wit, choosing instead to focus on sexuality rather than intellect. This is another prime example of support for an age old concept deemed correct by individuals of the male gender. It reiterates the idea that a woman needn’t be intelligent because all that really matters is how nice her body is. This song not only contradicts the idea that intelligence is crucial to success, but also tells girls that dropping their necklines and hiking up their skirts will get them farther than cracking open a book or two. If society ever hopes to convince young women that they are more than just a pretty face, it has to eliminate contradicting forces from popular culture.

Some may say that this is an extreme reaction to a harmless form of expression or that this is just some crazed feminist rant by a woman who lives in the woods and doesn’t believe in deodorant or shaving her legs. However, it’s not about feminism or body hair, it’s about the basic concept of respect. Art forms that objectify women are bad enough as it is. But when it’s an art form that’s being broadcasted to millions of people across the globe, there is a responsibility of both the artist and the producers to put out a product that is not demeaning to any group. Seeing as Jason Derulo is a strapping young man, it is likely that many of his fans are women and teenage girls and he has a duty to those fans to present concepts that are constructive rather than destructive. Music is about the message it conveys and by producing songs that objectify women, he is essentially telling all of his female fans that they’re nothing more than a big butt and a pretty face. They say that sex sells but shouldn’t respect for other human beings top the charts?

The biggest issue with Jason Derulo’s songs is that they are just plain offensive. It’s extremely disturbing simply because what he’s singing about is the farthest from charming that a man can get. A pretty melody and an obscure instrumental section does not make up for or hide the degrading sexual undertones. In reality, his songs are just a more creative (and profitable) way of catcalling. It’s almost as if he’s another creepy jerk catcalling a woman from across the street. She doesn’t need his approval to feel good about the way she looks, she already knew when she put that outfit on before leaving the house. He may claim that he’s just showing his appreciation when in fact, he’s whistling at her as if she were some sort of prized animal at a county fair. A simple “You look beautiful” or “That dress looks nice” would be much more effective than “Hey, baby, why don’t you come over here so I can get a closer look.” And really, when has catcalling ever been a successful way to get a woman’s phone number?

Pop culture has a much larger effect on society than it did ten years ago. Everything is at one’s fingertips with all of the new technology being released every few months. This becomes both a blessing and a curse. Because the world is so easily accessible, word spreads much faster. In the case of Jason Derulo’s music, word spreads much faster than it probably should. If Mr. Derulo continues to rule the music empire, society will raise a generation of women who believe that their value is measured by the size of their behind. And after all, music should be about making a human connection, not about making another notch on a bed post.