'We Will Rebuild What You Destroy': LA Girl Band The Linda Lindas Rocks The Internet With Anti-Hate Anthem 'Racist Sexist Boy'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — An up-and-coming Asian and Latina rock band has taken the internet by storm with their anti-hate anthem.
Girl rock band The Linda Lindas have gone viral with their raucous rock song, "Racist Sexist Boy." The band kicked off Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month with help from the Los Angeles Public Library, which streamed a performance by the girls at its Cypress Park branch.
Their first song in the set, an ode to the Japanese American "Baby-Sitter's Club" character Claudia Kishi, generated some buzz early on. But when the library clipped "Racist Sexist Boy" from the set and featured the performance on its social media channels, it caught fire with rock fans and Asian American advocates alike.
The song was inspired by 10-year-old Mila's own experience with a classmate at the start of the pandemic.
"A little while before we went into lockdown, a boy in my class came up to me and said that his dad told him to stay away from Chinese people. After I told him that I was Chinese, he backed away from me," Mila said in introducing the song. "Eloise and I wrote this song, based on that experience."
The anti-racism lyrics clearly show, despite their youth, they are old hands at dealing with racism.
"You say mean stuff and
you close your mind
to things you don't like
You turn away from what
You don't wanna see"
The lead singer, Eloise, later growls, "You are a racist, sexist boy, And you have racist, sexist joys, we will rebuild what you destroy."
The anthem has since been praised by the likes of Tom Morello, who declared it the "Song of the day!" and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea reposted the video to his Instagram account with the caption, "The Kids Are Alright. Straight rockin. Gotta love it."