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Transcript
Hippity Hip Hip Hop:
The Versatility within the Political Sphere of Rap
Focus
I inquired the role of feminism within and outside of hip-hop, and its ability to represent or suppress women's struggles, particularly black women.
Focus
STAKES
- Double-bind
- Exposing the complexity of belonging to an opressed class and race
- Rap as feminist
- Detaching stigmas
- Personal stake: A black woman who is an avid rap listener. How do I view myself as a feminist and black advocate while indulging in hip-hop culture?
Points
Points of Inquiry
- Rap's role within Feminist struggles
- Rap's role as anti-feminist or black nationalistic
- White women v. Black women's response to rap (2LiveCrew)
- Rap as a political and social outlet
Hip-Hop
Hip-Hop is defined as a culture, aesthetic, and lifestyle consisting of four main elements:
- Disc Jockeying (DJing)
- Break dancing
- Grafitti Art
- Rapping
Definition
Rap began as a political commentary of inner city conditions during the 1980s at the peak of the War and Drugs and beginning of the era of Mass Incarceration.
- Black male unemployment rate rose from 12.5 to 13.2 percent
- The rate of African-American males in the carceral state increased from 58,000 to 169,500 from 1980 to 1990
- The median income of African-American men, women, and families had no movement from 1975 to 1985.
Rapping
Socio-Political Commentary
Socially and politically conscious Hip Hop (SPC) emerged prominently in the late 70s and embodied the ideology and ideas of the Civil Rights Movement.
Within the rap industry there were social movements:
Stop the Violence Movement. exemplifying that the rap industry itself did not condone nor promote violence amongst it fans and community.
However, you do eventually see a transition from upbeat rhymes to harsher and harder critiques of the criminal justice system and police violence.
Hip-Hop Feminism
Given that rap operates in a socially aware, politically active sphere, introduction of the female rapper can allow womanism and feminism to enter have greater visibility.
Feminism
Feminism within rap has allowed for women in rap to critique sexism within their own communities and also show solidarity with men of their same race against mainstream racism and classism.
Further, the discourse and narratives introduced via hip-hop by minority women allows for advancement of feminism and furthers the envelope of what struggles are encompassed within the feminist narrative.
This platform allows minority women to use their voice loudly to advance what it means to be a woman outside of the white-washed, traditional struggles of women.
Feminism & Womanism
Women in Rap
Sylvia Robinson
Salt-n-Pepa
J.J. Fad
MC Lyte
Queen Latifah
Lauryn Hill
Missy Elliott
"No one will speak for us except for ourselves"
Special brand of female militancy
Black Women in Defense of Ourselves
Black Nationalism
- Homophobia
- Sexism
Limitations
Feminism in Different Forms
- Men can serve as feminist
- Not all women serve as feminist within the rap movement, but arguably, they don't have to to serve a womanist or feminist agenda.
Video vixen, Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj
Dominant Industry
Men still dominant the industry from a production, distribution, and creation level.
Despite the womanist and feminist efforts made by many women and allies in the rap industry, there still exist a homogenous style and representation within rap, which further impacts consumer expectations and industry environment in ways that do not economically nor socially benefit women.
that can be done.
Conclusion
One can not critically define rap music as "thuggish", anti-feminist work because that restictive desigination further marginalizes the work done by women of color within the rap industry. Further, the opposition to works that are done to uplift inner city communities, should not be done from the positionality of "women" or feminism against the industry in its entirety because the renders women who benfit or identify with rap as inherently bad feminsists.
Although rap does currently have limitations in its application as a political sphere due to the conservative, male-sominated, and derogatory nature that exist within some sects of the music, it has the capability of transforming, dialectically into a sphere that advocates for various groups.
I will continue this inquiry by looking directly at the protests and opposition of rap as not only a socio-political tool but artistic expression free from the white gaze thorugh an in dpeth analysis of 2LiveCrew.
Conclusion
References
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