People are always quick to jump to the conclusion about how
hip-hop and rappers depict women in a negative light by using them as sex symbols
in music videos and calling them bitches and hoes. But all the blame can’t be
placed on the guys because if you look at female rappers that are present today
they are fully aware of the fact that sex sells, and if they got it they flaunt
it. So it is almost like what came first the chicken or the egg, or in this
case the guys sexualizing women or the women wanting to sell records?
When Hip Hop and Rap first caught wind in New York in the
80’s the expectations for a female rapper were basically the same as it was for
guys. Women were respected on their flow, lyrics, and style. That’s why when
people listen to female rappers like MC Lyte or Queen Latifah they always mention
how talented they are compared to today’s female rappers.
MC Lyte:
Queen Latifah:
In both of these videos they both express a idea of being
independent by using lines like “In
one ear and right out the other/I heard his mumbo jumbo (eeeish) lover/I don't
pay attention/I don't concentrate” (Mc Lyte) or “Every time I hear a brother call a girl a
bitch or a hoe/Trying to make a sister feel low /You know all of that gots to
go” (Queen Latifa). Also these videos
aren’t centered on them dancing it is mainly focused on their rapping and the
story line that goes with it. The way they dress in the video is based off of
the time period but still even then they weren’t half naked and sold enough records for Queen Latifah to get a Grammy!
I think that in the early 2000’s is when rap as a whole began
to change, it became focused on making money. During the time both MC Lyte
and Queen Latifah were rapping was the “golden age” of hip-hop people often reminisce
on. Even guy rappers have changed like going from Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up” to
Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything.” Rap now has become manly focused on what
sells and makes money and sadly what sell is sex and a good beat.
Trina:
Iggy Azalea:
I think that both Trina and Iggy Azalea are caught in this gray
area where they truly want to show this independent, empowered, I didn’t on my
own lifestyle but then often their lyrics and video contrast that. In Trina’s
song Don’t trip she says “Cause
I’m gonna make my on ends/That’s What’s up/Ladies lets say you want a man/But
don’t know how to do it/Dirty dance with em/Put a little back into it/Go catch
a wall shorty/End up at the mall sporty” (Trina). She basically starts of the
verse by saying she can take care of her self and than the rest of the lines
are about how to get a guy to take care of and spoil her. This image is also portrayed
in the video where she pretty much pimps out her friends at the party. Iggy Azalea has this same mentality as Trina
and their videos, in a sense are very a like. Iggy Azalea seduces a guy at one
point to steal his car and the whole chorus of the song is her saying “work” which was
made that way pretty much just so that during the video it’s her dancing.
I think it might be a while before rap in general goes back to
the way it was by mainly focusing on skill, passion, and the message rather
then having a “good image.” In order for that to ever take place they need to
have rappers that go against the mold and challenge the industry. As far as
female rappers go, there are few that even make it in the big time so there is
less of a chance anyone would challenge it. However, someone that doesn’t look
like she is conforming to the system anytime soon is Rapsody.
Rapsody:
Rapsody,
in her song “The Drums” she says “That’s
real life rap, money power, there’s nothing else/ A lot of sex, drug uses and
rapping about wealth/ Ain’t no balance in the system no more we ain’t well/
Ain’t a rapper on the radio with stories to tell/ Hip-hop never died, yo, the
radio failed/ Now the power’s with the people wonder if they could tell.” The fact that
Rapsody gets a lot of her inspiration form MC Lyte might be enough to
eventually bring the rap game full circle and back to the importance of skill
and lyrics.
I like that you pointed out the fact that a lot of female rappers today promote the stereotype because sex sells, but I especially like that you feature an artist that is still trying to hold true to the ideals of the "Golden Age". Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! it's what i did my paper on kind of.. my thesis was that women in Hip-Hop have to either be hyper sexualized or masculine to get their message across to the audience. In my opinion in they have done a great job at doing both, but it is always contradicting in some way. You should have mentioned Missy Elliot, because she is one of the only female rappers from the late 90s/Early 2000s who didn't fall prey to the oversexualized image of female rappers, but she did change up a little bit with her songs "Work it" and "One Minute Man". I didn't even know who Rapsody was before I read this post though, so again good job. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought it was good that you made the important point that many female artists directly use the stereotypes in their favor in order to sell more. It must be disheartening for young females who are aspiring to be artists to see that the only women that get the attention are the ones that use their body and sexuality.
ReplyDeleteSweet post Mia! You did an excellent job showing how there are two perspectives to every story. In this case providing insight on both ends of the spectrum that included women willing to objectify themselves to misogyny for a some cash flow, and how male rappers use these women to gain recognition and attention in turn for cash flow as well. Because when it comes down to it, it's always about the cash flow.
ReplyDeleteI liked your song examples of female rappers, really cool.
ReplyDeleteIts really unfortunate for the young female artists who want to be successful in the rap game but actually have a passion for hip-hop. It seems like they can't be successful unless they have the sex appeal that sells. Its messed up but hopefully it changes down the road so we can have music that is similar to the genre's roots. Great post Mia!
ReplyDeleteNice post, I like the diversity of female artists you shared. I think one angle that should be considered when talking about women sexualizing themselves to sell records could be seen as the artist taking advantage of the hyper-sexualization of their bodies rather than falling victim to it. By using the notion that "sex sells" to their benefit they are taking back the power in a way that could have been seen as taken away from them by male artists and the male dominated industry when women are objectified and talked about as little more than sexual commodities. When they turn the sexualization in their favor and showing that while they dress and act like they are described in men's songs and music video they can also have a voice at the same time. Now maybe they just need to work on their talent.
ReplyDeleteYour post was good and very interesting. I like the topic you chose to discuss because this is a big problem for women in hip hop. I personally think female rappers have a choice in whether they want to be super sexy, but then they don't. "Sex sells" is the truth across all genre of music and especially hip hop. If female rappers portray a sexy image, I think it will benefit their record sales or their success because that's what people want to see in this industry. I don't think hip hop is lost for ever it just missing creativity and a person to open doors for the new emerging talent that has characteristics like the "golden days".
ReplyDeleteLike everyone above has stated, your post is very interesting and brings up great topics.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that some female artists use these sexual female stereotypes to their advantage to sell their music. It is sad to see that some woman feel that they have to do that just to obtain popularity in the Hip Hop industry. I hope to see the Hip Hop industry go back to where it started, where everything wasnt about money and sex.
ReplyDeleteGood post. I think that male rappers sexualizing women came first, and when female rappers started to come about, they understood the fact that being provocative would make them more marketable and therefore have more records sold.
ReplyDeleteVery good post! I think that female artists give into the idea that "sex sells" because it is an industry and that's what will get the listeners' attention.
ReplyDeleteI think that, for the most part, women looking to make a lucrative career out of rap understand that the industry is going to pigeon hole them into a misogynistic character role regardless of what they want their image to be like. There's a mutual understanding of the misogyny in rap between the two parties and artists can either work with it (Lil Kim) or try to counter it, yet come off contradictory (Iggy Azalea). This is all not to say that there is no chance for a non misogynistic female hip hop artist to exist...it's just difficult for them to rise to prominence and seems to only really be a viable route if they gain popularity through a group like Lauryn Hill.
ReplyDeleteWell written post, you used great examples to juxtapose the past of women in hip-hop to the present. Trina's one of my favorites but I totally see what you're trying to say with her being in a grey area. I mentioned it in the last post, everyone knows sex sells. That's why there's half naked girls in music videos and why femcees rap about being independent but having a boo to spoil them. It's hard to turn back the hands of time, there's a standard in place today and I'm not to hopeful it'll change any time soon.
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