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Racist, Sexist Boy

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"Idiotic Boy" redirects here. For the poem by William Wordsworth, see The Idiot Boy.
"Racist, Sexist Boy"
Single by the Linda Lindas
ReleasedMay 27, 2021 (2021-05-27)
RecordedMay 4, 2021
VenueLos Angeles Public Library
Genre
Length2:05
LabelEpitaph
Songwriter(s)Mila de la Garza · Eloise Wong
Producer(s)Carlos de la Garza
The Linda Lindas singles chronology
"Vote!"
(2020) 		"Racist, Sexist Boy"
(2021) 		"Oh!"
(2021)
Music video
"Racist, Sexist Boy" (Live at LA Public Library) on YouTube
"Racist, Sexist Boy"
Song by the Linda Lindas
from the album Growing Up
ReleasedApril 8, 2022
StudioMusic Friends, Los Angeles
Genre
Length1:49
LabelEpitaph
Songwriter(s)Mila de la Garza · Eloise Wong
Producer(s)Carlos de la Garza

"Racist, Sexist Boy", originally "Idiotic Boy", is an anti-racist song[1] by American rock band the Linda Lindas. It is the final track from the band's debut album, Growing Up (2022), released on Epitaph Records. The song is about an experience Mila de la Garza, the band's drummer, had when a schoolmate made a racist comment at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mila, along with the band's bassist Eloise Wong, wrote the song during a Zoom call.

A performance of the song at the Los Angeles Public Library gained media attention after a video was posted online. Multiple musicians praised the performance, including Tom Morello, Flea, Thurston Moore, Kathleen Hanna, and Kid Cudi. The Linda Lindas soon signed with Epitaph Records, though a deal had been in progress before the video went viral. "Racist, Sexist Boy" later won the award for Best Punk Record at the 2022 Libera Awards.

Inspiration and writing

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In March 2020, near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mila de la Garza, the band's drummer, had what she described as her first experience of racism. She had an encounter with a boy at school who backed away from her upon discovering she was of Chinese heritage; he had been told by his father to stay away from Chinese people.[2][3] Mila subsequently met with Eloise Wong, the band's bassist, on a five-hour Zoom call, during which they worked on writing "Racist, Sexist Boy".[4] The chorus of the song came easily, and they decided to wait to finish writing the song until near the end of the US presidential election.[2]

The song was originally titled "Idiotic Boy", however, the band subsequently learned about ableism and opted for a different message.[2][5]

The song was to fight back against the racist, sexist boys, but we didn't want to be the racist, sexist boys, so we changed the words.

— Eloise Wong[2]

Recording and release

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"Racist, Sexist Boy" was first recorded during a live performance in May 2021 at the Los Angeles Public Library. On May 22, Epitaph Records announced that it had signed the Linda Lindas,[6][7] in a deal which they had been working on since before the video went viral.[8] That live performance was released as a single by Epitaph on May 27.[9]

Carlos de la Garza, father of band members Lucia and Mila de la Garza, recorded and mixed the studio version of "Racist, Sexist Boy" at Music Friends, his backyard studio.[10][11] It appeared on the band's debut album, Growing Up, in April 2022.[12]

Composition

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"Racist, Sexist Boy" is classified as a punk rock song[13] with elements of riot grrrl.[3][14]

Live performance

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LA Public Library Twitter logo, a stylized blue bird
@LAPublicLibrary

Don't mess with The Linda Lindas.

Watch the full concert: lapl.me/YQ2UH9o

May 20, 2021[15]

On May 4, 2021, the Linda Lindas played at the Los Angeles Public Library for an AAPI Heritage Month celebration, during which they played "Racist, Sexist Boy".[16] The library soon posted a video of the performance on its Twitter account.[17] The video became a viral social media hit, earning praise from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Red Hot Chili Peppers's Flea,[17] Thurston Moore,[18] Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna,[3] and Kid Cudi.[19] Author Viet Thanh Nguyen praised the performance, saying, "'Racist, Sexist Boy' is the song we need now".[3]

Guitarist Bela Salazar was the only band member who had a social media account at the time, so she had to relay the messages to the other members.[2] She reported that thousands of people felt heard, and thought it was "pretty cool" to see the reaction.[2]

Accolades

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"Racist, Sexist Boy" won Best Punk Record at the 2022 Libera Awards.[20] It was also nominated for Best Song at the 2022 Kerrang! Awards.[21]

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Growing Up.[10]

The Linda Lindas

  • Bela Salazar – guitar
  • Eloise Wong – bass guitar, vocals
  • Lucia de la Garza – guitar
  • Mila de la Garza – drums, vocals

Technical personnel

References

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  1. ^ Jones, Damian (May 21, 2021). "LA teen punk band The Linda Lindas go viral with anti-racist anthem 'Racist Sexist Boy'". NME. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Levin, Sam (May 24, 2021). "The Linda Lindas on their viral song 'Racist, Sexist Boy': 'It's good to let the anger out and scream'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Hawkins, Derek (May 21, 2021). "Teen rockers fire back at anti-Asian comments with a viral punk anthem: 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Dunlea, Reed (June 4, 2021). "'The First Time' With the Linda Lindas on 'Racist, Sexist Boy' and DIY Punk". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Ryzik, Melena (March 9, 2022). "Punk Rock's New Hope: The Ferocious, Joyful Linda Lindas". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  6. ^ Aswad, Jem (May 22, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Sign With Epitaph Records". Variety. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Richards, Will (May 23, 2021). "Viral teen punk band The Linda Lindas sign record deal with Epitaph". NME. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Speer, Debbie (September 6, 2022). "The Linda Lindas: Bringing Punk Rock To A New Generation". Pollstar. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Linda Lindas – 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". Epitaph Records. May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  10. ^ a b The Linda Lindas (2022). Growing Up (liner notes). Epitaph Records. 87875-1SLE.
  11. ^ Nugent, Annabel (April 10, 2022). "The Linda Lindas: Meet the punk-powered school girls rising to rock's feminist forefront". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Trakin, Roy (April 8, 2022). "The Linda Lindas Are Growing Up in Public in Debut Album: Review". Variety. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  13. ^ Tozzi, Lisa (February 1, 2022). "'We're Putting a Piece of Ourselves Out There': The Linda Lindas Talk Growing Up on Debut LP". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  14. ^ Battoclette, Augusta (June 4, 2021). "The Linda Lindas make their TV debut with 'Racist, Sexist Boy'—watch". Alternative Press Magazine. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  15. ^ @LAPublicLibrary (May 20, 2021). "Don't mess with The Linda Lindas. Watch the full concert: lapl.me/YQ2UH9o" (Tweet). Los Angeles. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Gotrich, Lars (May 21, 2021). "What's More Punk Than Teens Screaming In A Public Library?". NPR. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Bosselman, Haley (May 20, 2021). "The Linda Lindas' Library Performance of 'Racist, Sexist Boy' Hailed by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello". Variety. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  18. ^ Zhang, Cat (May 25, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Are More Than Just a Viral Punk Band". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  19. ^ Idibly, Leia (May 21, 2021). "'HOLY SH*T YES': Teenage AAPI Punk Rock Band Goes Viral for Performance of 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". Mediaite. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  20. ^ Grein, Paul (June 17, 2022). "Japanese Breakfast, Arlo Parks & More Win Big at 2022 A2IM Libera Awards (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  21. ^ "Vote now in the Kerrang! Awards 2022". Kerrang!. May 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
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