Austin Mahone’s “MMM Yeah” Review: Um, No.

The new fresh face of pop music, Austin Mahone, has just released his new single entitled “MMM Yeah” featuring rapper Pitbull. I had never really heard any of this music but knew he was the new teenybopper “it” popstar. That’s why my jaw dropped when I heard this song.

The song is essentially about Mahone’s insistent catcalling.

Mahone starts:

When I saw her

Walking down the street

She looked so fine

I just had to speak

I asked her name

But she turned away

So, you’re trying to speak to some girl you think is ‘so fine,’ and she chooses to ignore you? Yeah, ok.

He goes on:

As she walked

All that I can say was

Mmm Mmm yeah yeah

Uh, excuse me? A girl is walking away from a stranger’s weird approach, so you start calling to her “mmm yeah” as a reference to her body? Sorry if I’m not swooning.

I think the biggest issue with this song is how Austin Mahone’s fanbase mostly consists of young girls.

Girls in pre-adolescence are going to learn that guys are going to chase them even if they say no and that they’re gonna objectify them regardless.

He goes on to say:

I know you feel it cause I mean what I said

Oh, well of course when the girl ignored you, she really meant to say that she feels the same because you like her, and she is obligated to feel the same way. My mistake.

Most of us are very aware of the heavy misogyny and sexism that is present in music today. However, most of the time, this type of music is considered “adult,” while Mahone’s audience is very young.

His fanbase is very impressionable, and this message is definitely teaching them at a very early age that they need to accept cat-calling and even see it as a ‘compliment.’

MTV even wrote an article entitled Austin Mahone Catcalls His Crush In ‘MMM Yeah,‘ where I had some hope for some mainstream criticism. However, MTV praises Mahone for his new ‘hit,’ stating “Austin Mahone is back and ready to make you dance again” and describing the song’s content as “…all about crushing on a girl from afar,” justifying Mahone’s lyrics. MTV acknowledges that Mahone is catcalling but plays it as cute and catchy.

We can’t let seemingly lighthearted street harassment go and just brush it off, especially when these types of songs become anthems for the new generation of girls and women.

Pitbull also added his two cents at the end:

She looks so good but she bad bad

You can see that back from the front front

booty like kriss kross, jump jump

Uh, what? Please, stop.

He goes on:

But mammita, forget about that

When I see you

All that I could say was

Mmm Mmm yeah yeah

Think about if someone said “mmm yeah” to you on the street? Guy or girl, it would be pretty weird. As if the person is satisfying some craving by objectifying you. Thanks for really honing in on that point, Mr. Worldwide.