Seal has spoken out against the derogatory treatment of women in the lyrics and videos of many leading rap stars. Speaking to black entertainment magazine Sister2Sister, he said that leading male entertainers in the black community had a duty to encourage their fans to respect women.
He told the magazine: "It's sad when you see the rappers on
TV and in the videos making these derogatory videos towards women ... kind of like sexual objects. It's sad because we're damaging our own. Like, in different cultures, you would never see that."
He continued: "Take for example the Jewish culture. They've been persecuted just like the black people, right? But you never see them eating their own. They don't. But we will. I really feel that there is a responsibility and what goes around comes around."
Although best known for his hits in the nineties, Seal has enjoyed new success recently in both the UK and US, and is nominated for a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance award at next month's Grammys.