Representation of black women in hip hop

In the hip-hop subculture and industry, the role of women is represented in different entities that are both controversial and powerful. The over-sexualized image constructed in society feeds into to the dominant demand of the male gaze. According to scholars Pough, Richardson, and Durham (2007), "Many of hip-hop's 'woman problems' come in the monolithic and repetitious representation of hip-hop as simply a sexist male rapper surrounded by an entourage of nameless and faceless gyrating bodies in video after video".^[1] The representation of women of color in hip hop surrounds a culture that is wrapped in Misogyny, various forms of oppression. Misogyny is a cultural force that normalizes sexism towards women in different aspects of hip-hop. These images are displayed in male rappers videos such as Nelly, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and more. The normalizing aspect is perpetuated when the phrase "fuck bitches, get money" becomes a societal norm with hip-hop subculture to classify women as "bitches". In hip hop, women in the industry in some cases try to speak out against the misogynistic frame work of the industry; however, due to the capital power of mainstream hip hop, they are forced to function within it in order to survive.^[1]

"Hip-hop feminist", Joan Morgan

Feminist scholar Joan Morgan argues the need to redefine black feminist to use the progression of modern day society, which means becoming unified and organize with a black feminist movement. The black women throughout the civil rights era have fought alongside the black men in order to obtain equal rights for him, placing her rights a side. According to Morgan: "At the heart of our generation's ambivalence about the f-word is black women's historic tendency to blindly defend any black man who seems to be under attack from white folk."^[2] Black women continue to protect their male counterparts, therefore the term ride-or-die chick was coined to define the strong loyalty a woman has towards her man. The representation of the ride-or-die chick is seen throughout hip hop in music videos and the lyrics of artist songs. Some popular songs that exemplify this notion is Jay-Z ft. Beyoncé in their song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" and Ja Rule ft. Charlie Baltimore's "Down Ass Bitch". The independence of the black woman is not seen frequently in the industry; she is typically credited as "featured" by a male rapper who deems her acceptable to function within a certain role defined by him as the lead artist. The black woman's identity is thus paired with and made subordinate to her male counterpart. Therefore, in the industry she is not deemed competition in comparison to males; the thug image is only reserved for the heterosexual male. Women who identify themselves outside of the over-sexualized image, such as Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, and many more artists who fit within this framework, tend to be more subjected to questions pertaining to their sexuality (i.e., an implication that they are lesbians, as some sort of "explanation" for taking on what is predominantly seen as a masculine role within this subculture). Yet nonetheless Simply Black women’s presence in hip hop music and culture poses as a type of resistance to a hegemonic and misogynistic structure that hip hop upholds. Women are able to use their voices, their music, their style and so much more as ways to refuse conformity to a culture that refuses to accept them as legitimate and competent players. Exceptions to Morgan's males-featuring-females outline of hip-hop music production have long been common, especially along the pop-music fringe of the genre, e.g. "Mine" by Beyoncé ft. Drake, "212" by Azealia Banks ft. Lazy Jay, and "Yo Gotti" by Rihanna ft. Young Thug. Women in hip hop also feature each other frequently on tracks, such as Beyoncé ft. Nicki Minaj on "Flawless".

Morgan also discusses the ways in which black women in hip hop challenge social gender roles, formations of institutions and social constructs posed on black women in hip hop. She gives readers an understanding on the impact of the presence of black women in hip hop and states that nonetheless with all the efforts of these women they still face a struggle within their own hip hop community because of the hegemonic ideas that hyper masculine and sexual men of color should be performing hip hop. Morgan reminds readers society is uncomfortable with the idea of black empowering women in hip hop when she states, “Through there are many examples of women challenging misogyny and developing strategies to increase women’s participation in hiphop, dominant society is not particularly interested in this form of womanhood and feminism. While hiphop women are committed to representing their lives and compete equally with men, their quest is not without peril and retaliation”.^[3] While Morgan sees there has been progression since the beginning of hip hop, there is still a restrain in society where women need to seek for validation from society and are not allowed to change social beliefs because of the oppression they face when regarding the fact that women are compared to their male counterparts in hip hop who are feeding in to the patriarchal ideologies society has when regarding hip hop and who has the right to perform hip hop. Morgan states "They willingly participate and are evaluates in a male-dominated genre where they compete with men, regularly dispute male perspectives, and endure they sexist and misogynist comments about women while representing an array of female perspectives and defending their right to do so".^[4]

Stereotypes of black women in hip hop

African American women have a major presence in hip-hop and black culture. The representation of black women are often featured as video vixens, models, and performers. The genre of hip hop and its music videos showcase images and messages which reproduces a dominant ideology of black women's sexuality.^[5] There is a strong presence of misogyny within the industry which creates a division between some female artist. Female hip-hop artists such as Lil Kim, will come off more like video vixens compared to Lauryn Hill. This is due to the strong demand of misogyny with in the industry that makes most music videos exacerbate the exploitation of the black woman's body feeding into the perpetuated stereotypes.^[5] While female artists like Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, and Erykah Badu perpetuate a self-reliant image of destiny and self-independence.^[5] Patricia Hill Collins, discuss the ideologies of hegemonic power that serve to continue marginalization of black women. The images that continue to circulate in the media are hyper-sexualized stereotypes such as "hot momma" or "Jezebel".^[5] While according to Goodall (1994), the lyrics of a group commenting on sexism and exploitation of black women still caters to the male audience.^[5] The black female artist within the industry are forced to perpetuate a social pattern that emphasize on their body. This creates a demand that all female rapper and R&B performers have to maintain a dominant level of physical attractiveness and high standards of beauty.^[5]

Intersectionality

The term intersectionality was coined by black feminist Kimberle Crenshaw who define the term as the way multiple system of oppression is experienced in a black woman's life.^[6] Crenshaw argues that black women are discriminated against in ways that do not necessarily fit under categorizations of sexism and racism.^[6]Patricia Hill Collins expand upon intersectionality by adding the concept of a matrix of domination, in contrast this new concept work to see how intersectionality is organized. These key concepts reflect how race, class and gender continue to limit the agency and autonomy of black women in videos. The imagery that is produced in music videos reflects an institutional product that perpetuates stereotypical images of black womanhood.^[5]

We see an example of intersectionality in a feminist journal paper on "strategic queerness." Shange (2014), argued about hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj, suggesting that her "complex assemblage of public personae functions as a sort of 'straight' or 'queer', while upon closer examination, she refuses to be legible as either".^[7] Although this challenge is criticized as a capital agenda to interest the public, it is still a challenge that gives women a voice to not claim an identity in terms of sexuality. Shange acknowledges the points Morgan made regarding patriarchy and normative social forces in the subculture. Morgan: "I didn't want to have to talk about 'brothers,' 'male domination' or 'patriarchy.' I wanted a feminism that would allow me to explore who we are as women not victims. One that claimed the powerful richness and delicious complexities inherent in being black girls – no, sistas – of the post-Civil Rights, post-feminist, post-soul, hip-hop generation".^[2] However, the reality is that black women in hip-hop are represented in different ways that connect to the foundation of how black people were recognized in society; therefore it is difficult to look out of another lens where black males are not present.

Video vixens

Music videos create the image of stereotypes that depict the way black women are viewed. The videos focus on the physical importance of the black female body, programming it for the male gaze.^[5] The males rappers in the video hold a powerful position, broadcasting the value of having women around them.^[5] Emerson discuss that masculinity that is demonstrated in music videos. Music videos produce the stereotype that the black female body is for the pleasure of her male counter-parts.^[5] The objectification of black women in videos create a normative that their bodies are materials to shown off.^[5]

See also

• Misogyny in hip hop culture

References

1. Pough, Gwendolyn; Richardson, Elaine; Durham, Aisha; Raimist, Rachel (2007). Home Girls Make Some Noise: Hip Hop Feminism Anthology. Parker Publishing , LLC.
2. Morgan, Joan (1999). When chickenheads come home to roost: My life as a hip-hop feminist. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0684822628.
3. Morgan, Marcyliena (2009). The Real Hip Hop Battling for Knowledge, Power, and Respect in the LA Underground. London: Duke University Press. p. 148.
4. Morgan, Marcyliena (2009). The Real Hip Hop Battling Knowledge, Power, and Respect in the LA Underground. Duke University Press. p. 135.
5. Emerson, Rana (2002). "Where My Girls At?" Negotiating Black Womanhood in Music Videos. Sage Publications, Inc.
6. Smith, Sharon. "Black Feminism and Intersectionality". Retrieved 7 May 2015.
7. Shange, Savannah (2014). "A king named Nicki: strategic queerness and the black femmecee". Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory.