The main pre-writing technique for this essay is the use of the Six Journalistic queries.
The artists who perform in the rap genre serve as the main players in this essay. The feminine artists will be the primary subject of this essay.
Rap music consumers are secondary actors because they are integral to the Hip Hop community.
male and female primary creators, with a strong emphasis on female artists
The audience who listens to the music is a supporting cast member.
Are the lyrics in rap explicit about who's who?
The feminine lyrics convey messages that can be deduced.
Are these issues' nature and impact the same?
Hip Hop-Is about culture and communication of life experiences
Male Lyrics-Misogyny, Sexism, gangster status, entertainment, political and social struggles
Female lyrics- entertainment, sexism, gangster, struggles
why
Do sexism and misogyny arise?
Is this relevant to female artists?
Nature of sexism, a product of society
Female artists needing to survive in a sexist industry and have a voice
where
Do the problems, highlighted from female lyrics arise from?
Are they reactionary or non-reactionary?
Female artists’ lyrics are they in reaction to male sexist lyrics.
A means of survival.
Society allowing women to stand up for themselves
When
Did the inception of rap and Hip-hop also herald the beginning sexism and misogyny always existed?
Sexism from the society at large
begin with the inception of rap and hip hop
How?
Do female rappers deal with the industry?
How effective are the methods used?
Is the issue significant to the public and society?
The survival of the female artist
Successful female artists
Misogyny and sexism and society
Thesis statements
1. In reaction to misogyny and sexism from a male dominated rap industry, female rap artists are trying to reclaim their sexuality.
2. Through musical and visual expression, female rap artists are trying to reclaim their sexuality in a male-dominated Hip-Hop Industry.
Introduction
Hip Hop has long played an important role of voicing the grievances of the black community (Codrington 153). Additionally, Rap and Hip-Hop have been a reflection of the cultures held by the urban and African American youth. Coming from a sexist society, where women were viewed as lesser intellectual and social beings, rap music portrayed these messages even more strongly and loudly. Misogyny, a combination of sexism against women and hate was also evident in Hip Hop and Rap music.
This sexism and misogyny have constantly complicated the entry of women into the hip-hop industry. Thus, female rappers have had to fight hard to gain equal recognition in a male-dominated genre. Today, female rappers like Nicky Minaj and Iggy Azalea represent the crème of female rappers currently playing on mainstream media.
This essay postulates that female rappers through musical and visual expression are trying to reclaim their sexuality. It is important to note, therefore, how the new crop of female rappers handles sexism and their sexuality in a still predominantly male dominated industry.
A New Wave of Feminism
The result of misogyny and sexism has been the robbing of women’s sexuality because it seemed to be controlled and objectified by men. Feminism, which is a belief in the equality of women as intellectual and sexual beings, involves a wholesome sexual identity (Springer 1070). The need for women to reclaim their sexuality was a theme largely ignored by even those who wrote on sexism. In today’s society, feminism is a growing theme. Further, today’s society is evidently more sexuality oriented than previous generations. Female Hip Hop artists try to send these messages in their lyrics. In her song Flawless, Beyoncé explains this by showing how girls are taught to constantly shrink themselves to make themselves attractive to their male counterparts. This is done by teaching them to temper their ambitions, teaching them to aim to be successful, but not too successful.Otherwise, they risk threatening their male counterparts. Because of their female gender, Beyonce continues to elaborate that girls are expected to aspire to marriage. Therefore, they are expected is to make all life choices, keeping in mind that marriage is the most important goal.
The Evolution of Female Rappers with Sexism and Sexuality
The Portrayal of Female Rappers
A dichotomy of representation is seen in the portrayal of female rappers as well. In the 1980s, female rappers such as Salt and Peppa portrayed themselves as amorphous sexual beings. They wore baggy jeans and baggy shirts. However, through the 90s and progressing even today, the distinction in sexuality is even more important. According to Codrington (154), this distinction of sexuality responds to norms put across by the male dominated industry. Therefore, today, two portrayals are made: the “tomboy” who wears baggy clothes and the eroticized sex toy.
This image is very important and female artists are usually forced to conform to this image if they are to survive in the industry. Foxy Brown and Lil Kim are artists who tried to maintain an eroticized status. Kelis had to change her image to fit this brand. Lauryn Hill, a Grammy award winner, lyricist, vocalist, and a rapper, was one of the innovative hip-hop artists of her time and her music resonates to date. In her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she talks about her need to be emancipated from the constraints of the music industry. However, this does not fit the music industry’s equation. She continues to explain not wanting to be foolish and losing herself to these fleeting expectations.
New School Female Rappers and Sexuality
In the 1990s came the inception of gangster and pimp rap. Hedonistic messages portrayed in the rap music showed men as “players” and women as “whores” and “bitches” willing to do anything for money and easily discarded (Morgan 151). The old school female rappers thus dealt with this pervasive sexism and misogyny in a reactionary nature (Codrington 152). In her song Ladies First, Queen Latifah portrays this in her lyrics, stating that the misogynistic idea that women cannot succeed is derisive and backward.
The evolution of female rappers’ sexuality is quite evident. Female hip-hop artists have become more challenging and more vocal about sexuality. For instance, the reclamation of derogatory words by female rappers. Female rappers through their songs have reclaimed words previously used by male rappers to deride them as lesser beings. Morgan (151) points out the use of the words such as “whores” and “bitches” as words used to talk down to women.
However, new school rappers have reclaimed these words as symbols of their power and their control over their own emotions and sexuality. This has led to a reclamation of the word “bitch” amongst women, similar to the word “nigga” by males. Trina in her song Baddest Bitch refers to herself as the “baddest bitch” in town who is in control of the Hip Hop game. This new “baddest bitch” category refers to a woman who is sexually aware, comfortable with her sexuality, and treats her sexuality as equal to men.
The themes covered by female rappers range from being a sexual being, whose morality is not occasioned to the society’s double standards of sexual awareness, sexual abuse, and sexual orientation. Therein lies the difference between male and female rappers, with the latter being privy to a wider range of sexual themes not as evident in lyrics by male rappers.
In her song Closet, Angel Haze speaks about her being raped at a young age and the effects that it has had on her present relationships. She talks about being a child when she had her first encounter with a child molester, who took advantage of her innocence.
Young M.A in the lyrics to her song Eat, calls out the people who ostracize her for her sexual orientation. She lyricizes the hatred, exposing those who have used homophobic slurs and racial slurs against her. Further, she goes on to sexually objectify women in the same light as her male counterparts, portraying herself as a “player” as well and one that makes women change sexual orientation.
Beyoncé even though not a female rapper, has tried to rebrand herself as both a RnB and a Hip-hop artist. In her song Flawless, she features Chimamanda Adichie who unequivocally states that girls are taught that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are. Beyoncé portrays herself as a woman, a sexual being who can be powerful and in charge of her sexual needs that do not, therefore, define her morality as a person. She asks for respect, explaining that she is more than just a wife, but someone who lives her life by her rules.
Unlike male rappers, female rappers have the unique ability to show vulnerability in rap and hip-hop songs that mostly shows aggression. Lauryn Hill talks about an abusive relationship in her song Ex-factor. In her lyrics she states, being hurt by a lover in a way no other human had. In her song Bed of Lies, Nicki Minaj portrays herself as a victim of cheating in a relationship that she previously felt safe in. She explains being hurt because she felt she was the reason for the man’s success in the music industry.
Sexual Objectification of men is also more evident in today’s industry, with men being portrayed more and more in music videos as sexual beings aimed at gratifying the woman’s sexual pleasure. This could be an attempt by female artists to gain an equal footing with men regarding sexuality.
Previous aspects that were only associated with black men and their representation in music is visible in female rappers’ music. However, these aspects are glorified. Morgan (151) cites Anaconda as one of the classic shows of sexism. Nicki Minaj remake of the song Anaconda is one of her greatest hits. In the lyrics, she states categorically that she is singing the song for women with more bountiful backsides.
Gaps in the Conversation
Male rappers have been able to visit political and social themes and remain relevant to mainstream consumers. Female rappers have not been able to do equally well in this regard. Either, female rappers who are socially aware do not have commercial marketability or become rejected by the mainstream. Therefore, female rappers either shy away from these conversations or never engage in them at all.
The phenomenon is worsened by the female rivalry seen among female rappers. Most recording companies such as Aftermath are owned by collaborations among male artists; there are fewer of these collaborations seen among female artists. As highlighted in the Flawless lyrics, Beyonce speaks of girls being raised as competitors but not for career accomplishments. She calls them as sexual rivals, rivaling for the attention of men. This rivalry which is partially driven by the industry is harmful as it weakens the female voice on different issues.
Conclusion
Hip Hop has long played an important role of voicing the grievances of the black community. Additionally, rap and Hip-hop have been a reflection of the cultures held by the urban and African American youth. The misogyny portrayed by male rappers has long been a cause of disagreement referred to by many authors and commentators of Rap and Hip-hop.
Female rappers have, therefore, had to cut out a niche for themselves. In the bid to gain affirmation as significant players in the Hip-hop game, female rappers have had to reclaim their sexuality while playing to the male misogyny. The increasing need for female rappers to reclaim their sexuality and an increase in portraying themselves as being sexually aware and comfortable and even taking advantage of that awareness; is perhaps the most significant change in the new school brand of female rappers.
Works Cited
Codrington, Raymond. "Hip-Hop: The Culture, The Sound, The Science; One Planet Under A Groove: Hip-Hop And Contemporary Art:Hip-Hop: The Culture, The Sound, The Science.;One Planet Under A Groove: Hip-Hop And Contemporary Art". American Anthropologist, vol 105, no. 1, 2003, pp.153-156.
Morgan, Joan. "Fly-Girls, Bitches, And Hoes: Notes of A Hip-Hop Feminist". Social Text, no. 45, 1995, p. 151.
Springer, Kimberly. "Third Wave Black Feminism?". Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, vol 27, no. 4, 2002, pp. 1059-1082.
