Bad Girls Do It Well: The ‘Bitch Planet’ Mixtape [Music Week]
We at ComicsAlliance love comics, and we love music, so this week we’ve decided to combine those two loves and create playlist tributes to some of our favorite titles. Think of these as something to listen to while you read the comic, or an introduction to the vibe of a comic if you're not yet a fan.
Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro and Cris Peter's Bitch Planet is one of the most important comics being published today. In addition to being an amazing sci-fi story with glorious butt-kicking women, it’s rife with feminist critique of patriarchy, while still maintaining an inspirational tone. Putting together this playlist, I thought I’d be choosing angry, riot grrrl songs, but what I ended up with feels more like a modern celebration of women. I think Bitch Planet itself is kind of the same thing.
Check out our track-by-track guide to our Bitch Planet playlist below, or load up the mixtape on the ComicsAlliance Spotify to take it with you.
Please note some of these songs may not be safe to listen to in the workplace or in the presence of children!
Bad Girls
M.I.A. (Matangi)CRIME: Political incitement
The women of Bitch Planet are definitely bad girls – they resist patriarchal norms that tell them who they should (and shouldn’t) be. This song is about women taking control of their bodies and their lives, celebrating themselves, sung by a woman of color. I can’t think of a better song to start this playlist.
SCREAM
Grimes Ft. Aristophanes (Art Angels)Crime: Seduction and disappointment
Aristophanes’ lyrics here are beautiful, fascinating poetry about sex and pain and pleasure. Many of the women at Bitch Planet end up there for wanting to control their sex – choosing their partners, enjoying themselves, trying something other than missionary-style intercourse, or not having sex at all. Sex isn’t the only important thing about women, but it’s something that causes conflict when we try to own it for ourselves.
Come Alive (War Of The Roses)
Janelle Monae (The Archandroid)CRIME: Terminal hysteria
This song so accurately describes a situation that would send a woman to Bitch Planet: “Tommy thinks the crazies are back in my mind / Tommy says the children are clouding my head.” But Janelle survives and thrives by dancing. That’s my kind of revolution.
Feeling Myself
Nicki Minaj Ft. Beyonce (The Pinkprint)CRIME: Ego dysmorphia
This is Penny Rolle’s song. She’s big, bad, and beautiful. The fathers try to make her hate her body, shaming her “wanton obesity,” but she’s feeling herself. The scene in which she views her ideal version of herself is so powerful, and this song hits it.
The Bullpen
Dessa (A Badly Broken Code)CRIME: Criminal literacy
In this song, Puerto Rican rapper Dessa describes what it’s like being a woman in a male dominated industry, and challenges assumptions that she’s “soft or irrelevant.” She’s got the swag and the content, so you better believe she’s going to stand up for herself in a room full of men.
A Tribe Called Red
Angel Haze (Dirty Gold)CRIME: Dev. and distr. of gender propaganda
This is the song all the women should listen to before every megaton game. “I know that they do not want me to shine / I know that they do not want me to climb.” You can feel Angel Haze’s anger in this song, but it’s ultimately an anthem of hope and faith in yourself.
None Of Your Business
Salt 'n' Pepa (Very Necessary)CRIME: Sexual deviancy
Salt 'n' Pepa crushed it in the '90s with this anthem of sexual agency. Someone needs to send this song to the Bitch Planet universe and start a revolution.
THE BADDEST FEMALE
CLCRIME: Gender treason
“Where all my bad girls at?” There’s a part in this video where CL is on top of a mountain planting a flag wearing an outfit straight out of Motor Crush, or a more vicious megaton sports uniform. This song gives me hope! “Let’s light it up and let it burn like we don’t care”
If you want to check out all these songs at home or on the go, we’ve assembled a playlist of all the songs available on Spotify to make it even easier. Make sure to follow ComicsAlliance on Spotify and keep an eye out for more comic themed playlists this week.